gillnet

1 of 2

verb

gill·​net ˈgil-ˌnet How to pronounce gillnet (audio)
gillnetted; gillnetting; gillnets

transitive verb

: to catch (fish) with a gill net

gill net

2 of 2

noun

: a flat net suspended vertically in the water with meshes that allow the head of a fish to pass but entangle the gills upon withdrawal

Examples of gillnet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
California is currently acting on this issue by helping fishermen phase out use of large-mesh drift gill nets in state waters. Heather Welch, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, indiscriminate fishing tools such as gill nets ensnare and drown dugongs. Danna Staaf, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 In general, the number of white sharks have increased since they were protected in California in 1994, the same year gill nets were banned in near-coastal waters in the state. Ana Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Nov. 2023 The southern portion of the Texas coast appears to have been hit especially hard by the freeze of February 2021, according to TPWD’s gill net sampling. Matt Wyatt, San Antonio Express-News, 13 Jan. 2022 In every incident, most of the fish had already died in the gill nets. Outdoor Life, 21 Sep. 2023 The United Nations banned gill nets longer than 2.5 kilometers in international waters in 1991. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Aug. 2023 Snagged gill nets near a torn railing on the ship’s fantail stern looked like the work of a fisher who tried and failed to retrieve their gear. Laura Trethewey, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Sep. 2023 Australia Australia will phase out gill net fishing in the Great Barrier Reef by 2027. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gillnet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gillnet was in 1796

Dictionary Entries Near gillnet

Cite this Entry

“Gillnet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gillnet. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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