Tatā

Tatā. Fish trap. This is a tatā made of white twine. The tatā consists of a small net attached to a length of twine. The length of twine has been coiled into two separate bundles. One bundle is used to hold the tatā in the water, while the other is pulled on once the fish have been lured inside the net. Tatā can be used off the reef, aboard a canoe or from the shore. The net is filled with boa (burley) and lowered into moving water to lure fish. Once the fish are inside the net the neck is closed immediately to trap them. Tatā were ideally used during high tide while the water is moving.