Place

Pacific Northwest Region

Date

1950s

DIMENSIONS in centimetres

96.5 x 112; Pole 244

Materials & techniques

Nylon, wood, steel, cork; Weaving

Credit

Nick Ross

ID

Delta Museum and Archives Society DE1972.5.16

Fishing nets were once a highly prized possession and an important economic resource in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Access to the Gulf of Georgia and the Fraser River means the region enjoys a long and notable fishing heritage. In the first half of the 20^th century the waters were so abundant with salmon that using a simple dip net such as this off a pier or fishing skiff was enough to haul large catches from the waters.
 
Essential to the ongoing success of a fishing operation was the ability to repair a net when torn. A fisherman had to be an adept weaver in his own right, twining material together quickly to salvage crucial lost time when a net was damaged. Salmon fishing and canning was a major part of the economic development of the Fraser Delta region. Open warehouse structures called “net lofts” were found all along the river area. These lofts were used to dry, repair, and properly fold nets for use, emphasizing how essential this tool was to daily life.