AI overview
A fishing net is a mesh device designed to catch fish and other aquatic creatures by trapping them in its woven or knotted material. It matters because it's a practical tool that has been essential to fishing for thousands of years, allowing people to catch food and make a living from water resources.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
Nylon fishing net with float line attached to small plastic floats
A fishing net or fish net is a net used for fishing. Fishing nets work by serving as an improvised fish trap, and some are indeed rigged as traps (e.g. fyke nets). They are usually wide open when deployed (e.g. by casting or trawling), and then close off when retrieved to engulf and trap fish and other aquatic animals that are larger than the holes/gaps of the net, as well as many unwanted bycatches due to the underwater area a net can cover.