The preparations are described too briefly to provide much information. They snared birds and carried fish in “a vessel,” implying that they took live animals. Of course, they may simply be provisioning the group, but the Lord’s command on gathering “male and female [flocks], of every kind” emphasizes breeding capability. Followed immediately by the collection of birds and fish, the net result is a literal gathering of all animals. However, the logistics of moving breeding populations of multiple fish species are tremendous. Not only would the task surpass the capacity of most ancient peoples, but there was no real necessity for it. I also find the statement that they gathered flocks and “did also lay snares and catch fowls of the air” so soon after the mention that they were in “the valley… Nimrod, being called after the mighty hunter,” (v. 1) as too coincidental. Of course they hunted in the valley of the mighty hunter. I therefore hypothesize that this is not a historical statement but a symbolic one, continuing to connect the Jaredite story to the biblical record (and to Noah in particular).