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A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF FISHING CRAFTS AND GEARS OPERATING
IN LENTIC AND LOTIC WATER OF PUNJAB
Aamir Hussain Bhat, Rahul Singh*
Dept. of Zoology, School of Biotechnology and Biosciences
Lovely professional University Jalandhar, Punjab, India
ABSTRACT: Study of fishing techniques in Punjab (India) was carried out in the different districts in the year
of 2015. The information about different types of crafts and gears were taken by weekly visit to the
important fishing sites .The aim of this paper is to record the fishery related technological knowledge specially
fishing gears and crafts used in Punjab region. 8 different types of gears and 2 crafts are screened and
thoroughly investigated. Gears were drag net, stationary gill net, cast net, ring cast net entangling net, encircling
net, fish trap and hook and line. Crafts were pirogue and dinghy. Some weakness and disadvantages has been
pointed out.
KEYWORDS: Jaal, Net, Mesh, Boat.
INTRODUCTION
In Punjab (India) the different types of
water bodies spread over vast area
comprising of canals spreading over
181.70190 km2 constituting 0.360% of
geographical area of Punjab, cooling
ponds or cooling reservoirs of 0.89648
km2 constitute 0.002%, lakes or ponds
of 63.26933 km2 constitute 0.120%,
reservoirs of 26.57038 km2 constitute
0.050% and water channel areas of
549.95860 km2 constitute 1.090% of
Punjab (ENVIS Centre: Punjab, 2015).
At present 10,850.60 ha area of Punjab
is under fish culture, reared and
managed by 7500 fish farmers. Punjab
has the highest average fish production
of 6000kg/ha as compared to national
average of 3000kg/ha (ENVIS Centre:
Punjab, 2015).
Gears and crafts are very crucial
for harvesting. Like other part of India
Punjab also has unique patter of gears and
crafts.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was carried out during Jan to
may 2015 in the different districts of
Punjab which are known for fishing.
The information about different types
of crafts and gears were taken by
weekly visit to the important fishing
sites of Punjab namely Gurdaspur,
Harike wetland, Ropar and Basti Bawa
Khel. An interaction based data collected
from fishing site, professional fishermen,
J. Adv. Zool. 2016: 37(2): 80-89 ISSN-0253-7214
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net makers and net shopkeeper At the
sites the photos of different types of
crafts and gears were captured by a
digital camera and the measurement of
length, width, height (in crafts),
diameter, mesh size (in gears), were
taken by scale. Other parameters like
operation mode, building material and
fish species caught in different types of
nets were directly observed on sites.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
First investigated gear was drag net (Fig:
1) (“Gheraw jaal” local name) and size of
gears were found approximately 30 × 6 ft.
with 0.5 cm mesh. This net preferably use
in summer season when water becomes
shallow. Gear design beautifully to
remains stretched form during operation
which is facilitated by heavy iron weight
and floaters respectively. 2-4 people are
required for operation. But one of the
major drawbacks is small size fish
trapping.
Next gear was stationary gill net (Fig:2)
(Current Jaal local term) which was
rectangular and contained strong head and
foot ropes. It is a passive fishing gear
in which only 2 persons are required
to operate. The size of the gear varies
from 30-40 ft long according to the
requirement and area available. There
are double layer meshwork of nylon
threads to form small mesh of 1-4 cm .
The height of the gear is generally 7 ft.
The net is fastened to anchor on both
sides with bamboo poles, fish are
driven to the gear by disturbing the
water or by sound produced by beating
cans. Mostly the net is tied against the
current and simply allowed as such for
81 J. Adv. Zool. 2016 : 37 (2)
Fig 1: Drag Net
Fig 1: Drag Net
Fig 2:Stationary
gill Net
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a night. One disadvantage has been noted
that when fish trapped by their operculum
and struggling, get injured.
Cast net (Fig: 3) (Ghumaav jaal) looks
like umbrella with the diameter of 20-
25 ft having a mesh size of 1 cm
(fig.16). Only one person is required
for operating this type of gear.
For one time operation, 4-5 minutes are
required. It is the fastest and most
frequent method of operation and can
be done several times in a day. On
windy days when air drag is more, the
orientation of the gear is distracted.
The gear does not expand fully on
spreading over water body.
Another common gears are ring cast net
(Fig:4) (Kada Jaal). The gear is mainly
used to catch big sized fishes.
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Fig 1: Cast Net
Fig 1: Cast Net
Fig 1: Cast Net
Fig 1: Cast Net
Fig 1: Cast Net
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The design of the gear is similar as of
the cast net but the only difference is
the presence of wooden ring through
which a long and strong rope is split
into fine branches and attached to
different points with margin of the gear
on the inner side.
Entangling net (Fig: 5) (Phansi jaal) is
used in flowing water mostly at
barrages because the fishes usually lie
in the surface and column zone of the
water at the barrage site. The length of
the net is 25 ft and the width is 20 ft.
Mesh size of the net is 4cm which is
mostly suitable for catching big sized
fishes. It is a rectangular net devoid of
floaters and sinkers. The net has strong
and heavy rope along its basal margin
which helps the net to sink. 4
fishermen are required to operate this
type of gear.
Encircling net (Mushari jaal) is the most
important gear, widely used throughout
the year except in monsoon season. It
is used for catching fishes in deep
waters. The length of the net is 40 ft
and width is 30 ft. The width of the
gear is generally expanded by tying 3-5
pieces of the rectangular nets according
to the area available for catching
fishes. The mesh size of the net is
0.7cm (fig.33) while at the bottom the
mesh size is 2cm for 5-6 rows. The
top of the gear is attached with floats
(fig.35) for floating, so that the gear
remains in stretched form, and for the
visualisation of area covered by the
gear. The distance covered by the net
was approximately 30-40 ft and varies
according to the tying of large number
of nets together. Single operation is
completed in 4-5 hours.
83 J. Adv. Zool. 2016 : 37 (2)
Fig 4 (B): Fishing
Fig 1: Ring Cast Net
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Stick (Fig:6) (hook) also used in this area
which is commonly known as ‘Barasi’.
The length of the line is generally 20-
25 ft, but varies according to the
depth of water.
New exclusive type of net found in this
area called Pinjra (Fig:7) (Fish trap). It is
a type of box made up of bamboo
pieces interwoven by nylon threads.
The length, breadth and height of the
trap are 6ft, 3ft and 3ft respectively
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Fig 6: Hook of Stick
Fig 7: Pinjara
Fig 5 (B): Entangling Net
Fig 6: Stick
Fig 5 (A): Entrangling Net
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The trap is placed on the bank of river
with one side open and left for
overnight, so that the fish enters the
trap from the open side. On 2nd day,
the trap is removed from the water and
the fishes trapped in it are harvested.
Crafts
Two common crafts have been
investigated (Fig:8). Pirogue is one of
those. It is a kind of small boat with flat
bottom. The boat has a capacity of
only two fishermen that can propel the
boat at the two end points. There is a
flat bottom which meets the plane of
the side that allows the boat to move
smoothly even in shallow water. The
design of the boat is made as such
that if somehow the water may get
into the boat, it is easily turned over
to drain water. The boat is propelled
by a long bamboo stick (6-7 m) which
allows the boat to move in different
directions.
Sometimes the sailing method of the
Pirogue is different due to high speed
flow of water at barrage. One of the
fishermen runs along the bank while
pulling a rope held by other fisherman
in the boat to take the boat to the
barrage.
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Fig 7: Pinjara
Fig 8: Pirogue
Fig 8: Pirogue
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One of the major drawback of this craft is
water gets easily into the boat if the
flow or current of water is high. Due
to less height of the boat the chance
of turnover is more which leads to
high risk of fishermen’s life in deep
waters.
Another different type of boat/craft is
Dinghi which is sailed by a hand
propeller (Oar) instead of using motors
in large motor dinghis. The boat is
usually 4-6 m long and internally
partitioned by multi-piece wooden logs
for strength and nesting to overcome
jumbling of fishes.
The boat is usually used for carrying
fishes from catchment area to bank of
river. The boat has grater buoyancy
which allows the boat to sail with
large carrying capacity.
CONCLUSION
The different types of gears used by
fishermen in Punjab are Gheraw Jaal
(Drag net), Current jaal (Stationary gill
net), Ghumaav jaal (Cast net), Kadha
jaal (Ring cast net), Phansi jaal
(Entangling net), Mushari jaal
(Surrounding net) and Stick. The mesh
size of the gears vary from 0.5-4 cm.
Out of these gears, it has been
observed that severe damage in fish is
caused by the Current jaal (Stationary
gill net) and stick causes stress in fish.
The mesh size of the Ghumaav jaal
(Cast net) should be increased from 1
cm to 2 cm so that the sand, very
small fish fingerlings (that are not
desired) and other wastes should not be
retained in the net, otherwise it causes
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Fig 8 (B) : Dinghi
Fig 8 (A) : Dinghi (Oprational)
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decrease in fish population and increase
labour for washing. Crafts used in
Punjab in such kind of water are
Pirogue and Dinghi, with size 5m and
6m respectively. Crafts are well
designed accordingly but in Pirogue
some modification are required
according to River.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Authors are thankful to the professional
fishermen of Punjab, Harike wetland
fish contractor viz, Babu Shiv Lal Ji,
Ropar fish contractor viz, Shri Gurmeet
Singh Ji and the Bawa Khel Prem Fish
Company who gave full support and
patience for the completion of the
work.
Table 1: Description about common gears used in lentic and lotic water of Punjab
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Sr. no.
Local name Common name Shape Length (ft) (Aprox)
Height (ft) (Aprox)
Mesh size (cm) (Aprox)
Person Required
1 Gheraw jaal Drag net Rectangular 30 6 0.5 2-4
2 Current jaal Stationary gill net Rectangular 30-40 7 1-4 2
3 Ghumaav jaal Cast net Umbrella 20-25 -- 1 1
4 Kada jaal Ring Cast net Umbrella 30 -- 2 1
5 Phansi jaal Entangling net Rectangular 25 20 4 4
6 Mushari jaal Encircling net Rectangular 40 30 0.7 8-10
7 Barasi Stick Pipe like 4.5 -- -- 1
8 Pinjra Fish Trap Cubical 6 3 -- 1
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