Ondatra zibethica
Size: to 14" (body)
Habitat: in and around water
Notes:
Muskrats sometimes build a water "house", like a beaver, although they don't build dams. Common anywhere there is suitable watery habitat.
An assortment of mammals that might be observed in and around the water.
More: Freshwater Mammals ...
Fish traps are only practical in shallow water. They have the advantage of keeping both the targeted catch and the bycatch alive ( unless a shark gets in ! ) You can still see a few fish traps in use in Raritan Bay, where they are built around fixed pilings rather than buoys and anchors as shown here. In years past, shore-based trawling or "haul seining" was also practiced in the bay, where a net would be deployed off the beach by a small boat, and drawn in by donkeys or trucks.
More: Fish Traps ...
