A fishing net with mesh holes sized so that fish swim partway through and become trapped by their gills.
Compound of 'gill' (the breathing organ of fish) and 'net.' The term emerged in the 18th century as fishing technology developed, descriptively naming the net by the specific way it catches fish.
Gillnets are a perfectly efficient way to catch fish—so efficient that they've become controversial in modern conservation, as they can accidentally trap dolphins, seals, and endangered species, sparking debates about 'bycatch' that pit tradition against ethics.
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