usually as hand-carved shell or CIRCLE HOOKS bone pendants on necklaces. A circle hook is defined as any IN THE PACIFIC round-shaped hook with a point that is perpendicular, or at a 90° angle, to the shank of the hook Circle hooks were probably first (Fig. 2). Figure 3 shows the parts used by Polynesian and Amer- Steve Beverly of a basic fish hook, including indian fishermen in the Pacific the point and the shank. It can SPC Fisheries hundreds or even thousands of be seen by comparison to a cir- Development Officer years ago.1 Now they are widely cle hook, that the hook in the used not only because they are (
[email protected]) diagram — which is actually a good at catching fish, but also J hook — has the point parallel because they are “friendlier” to to the shank. Circle hooks are bycatch species in commercial is showing that circle hooks are sometimes called C hooks or G fisheries and catch-and-release able to maintain the same catch hooks because of their rounded species in recreational fisher- rates of target species so fisher- shape resembling those letters ies. In ancient times circle hooks ies that use circle hooks can re- of the alphabet. They are also were very well adapted to catch- main viable. often referred to as rotating, or ing small bottomfish from shore self-setting hooks. Circle hooks and from canoes using simple No one knows who invented the rotate in the direction of the handlines. In more recent times, circle hook but it was probably point when a fish takes the bait circle hooks are used as the developed by fishermen from and pulls on the line (Fig.