W W "I § \ M4 AflQOflNT 0? MARENE FifiHERiES OF KUTfil-é (Wi'fi‘i NAVLAKH! AREA} HQ GUJARAT $TAYE {N EMMA WWW Thesis fem Hm 53mm «:5 M; & MECEEGAN SYATE UN {WESEEY Niraaiar: D: Chhaya. 1.965 THESIS LIBRARY Mishap!) Saw , . €713 .' \ ff fl ‘ m? a.“ rw ABSTRACT AN ACCOUNT OF MARINE FISHERIES OF KUTCH (WITH NAVLAKHI AREA) IN GUJARAT STATE IN INDIA by Niranjan D. Chhaya The state of Gujarat in India has a coast line of 1,031 miles. Two of the most prominent gulfs of India, the Gulf of Cambay and the Gulf of Kutch, are a part of this coast line. Kutch Region--which forms a northern boundary of the Gulf of Kutch--has a rich potential for fisheries activities. Unfortunately, almost no fisheries work has been done in this area. The only authoritative data avail- able is from one souvenir published by the government of Gujarat and the annual reports of the state fisheries department. Even here, Kutch does not get its due importance. Despite the economic opportunities offered by the Gulf of Kutch, little is known about it. The purpose of this project was to attempt a survey of Kutch Region of the Gulf of Kutch. The emphasis was laid on the following aspects of the fishing activities: 1. Geographic and climatic conditions. 2. The fishing community. Niranjan D. Chhaya 3. Transport, refrigeration, marketing, and landing facilities that exist today. 4. Present fish curing and preservation methods. 5. Fisheries and fishing seasons, types of fishes available, etc. In spite of the various difficulties in transport, refrigeration, marketing, social taboos, and primitive nature of the boats and gear, the annual fish catch of this region amounts to about 2,000 tons. There are great possi- bilities to increase this catch to at least 10,000 tons or more with improvement in fishing techniques and other facilities. Gujarat State is a food deficit area, and this easily improvable fish output can provide cheap and rich protein which is lacking in the diet of people of this area. AN ACCOUNT OF MARINE FISHERIES OF KUTCH (WITH NAVLAKHI AREA) IN GUJARAT STATE IN INDIA BY Niranjan D. Chhaya A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Department of Fisheries and Wildlife 1966 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to express his deep sense of gratitude and appreciation to Professor P. I. Tack, Chair- man of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, under whose guidance the project was carried out. His advice and guidance have been immensely helpful. I also wish to thank Professors E. W. Roelofs and G. Borgstrom of the Departments of Fisheries and Wildlife and Food Science, respectively, for their valuable sugges— tions and constant encouragement. I am deeply indebted to Dr. E. A. Lachner of the Division of Fishes, U. S. National Museum, and Dr. G. W. Mead, Curator of Fishes, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, for their help in finding reference sources. Finally, my gratitude goes to Mr. R. B. Vasavada of the State Fisheries Department, Government of Gujarat, and Mr. W. Gross of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, who in various ways contributed towards the completion of this project. Without their cooperation and readiness to help, this thesis may not have been finished in time. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 0 O O O O O O O O O O O I O O O O O O 1 GEOGRAPHIC AND CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 0 o . . . o . o 6 THE FISHING COMMtJNITYo 0 C O O O O O O O O O O O 0 ll TRANSPORT, REFRIGERATION, AND MARKETING. . . . o o 15 FISH CURING AND PRESERVATION . . . . . . . o o . . 18 FISHING CRAFT AND GEAR O O 0 O O O O O O O O O O O 21 FISHERIES. O O O O O O O 0 O O O 0 O O O O O O O O 32 SUMMARY. 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 41 REFERENCES CONSULTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 iii Table LIST OF TABLES Statement of Monthly Average of Dry Bulb Temperature in Centigrade Recorded at New Kandla Observatory in Kutch, India . . . . . . Statement of Rainfall Recorded at New Kandla Observatory for the Period 1963 to 1965 in KutCh, India 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 0 Average Results of Salinity and Temperature of Kandla Creek Water from November, 1963, to April, 1965, in Kutch, India . . . . . . . . . Number of Fishermen by Village . . . . . . . . Sections of Coast Line of Kutch Area, Their Principal Fisheries and Gear Used. . . . . . . Number of Boats and Nets by Village. . . . . . Some Important Fishes and Their Common and Local Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Production of Various Fish Species in Kutch Region in 1962-63. 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o 0 Fish Catch-Export-Local Consumption in Kutch Region in 1962-630 0 0 O O O O O O O O O O O 0 iv Page 10 13 14 22 33 35 36 6. LIST OF FIGURES Sketch Map of the State of Gujarat . . . . Main Fishing Grounds in Kutch Region--Gulf KutCh. O O O O O O 0 O O O O O O 0 O O 0 O Prawn Concentrations in Indian Seas. . . . A Stringed Cast Net. . . . . . . . . . . . Operation of a Drift or Gill Net . . . . . A Stake Net. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O O of Page 29 30 31 INTRODUCTION The state of Gujarat was declared a political and administrative unit on May 1, 1960, when the composite bilingual Bombay state was split into two states. The area of Gujarat is 72,137 square miles. Within the 17 districts of this state (of which Kutch is one) live over 20 million people. The southernmost point of Gujarat is about 70 miles from Bombay city, and the northernmost area borders the territory of Pakistan (see Figures 1, 2, and 3). The coast line of Gujarat is 1,031 miles long, broken by several bays, inlets, roadsteads, estuaries, and marshlands. Two of the most prominent gulfs of India, the Gulf of Kutch and the Gulf of Cambay, surround the penin- sula of Saurashtra. The state also has 26,000 square miles available for the fishing enterprise--most of this is continental shelf. Kutch Region--which forms the northern border of the Gulf of Kutch--has a rich potential for fisheries activi- ties. Unfortunately, this area is dry, scarce in water, lacks transport and other facilities, and thus has long been neglected. Almost no fisheries work has been done in this area, and the only authoritative data available is from one souvenir published by the government of Gujarat l , v‘ t. PAKISTAN _ N x ;; {GREAT RANN bf KUTQR: ‘ , ‘” <9 .— k w ~ 7‘ ' .. \ ,— ,. "\ K r , , ._. -A K .,\ F V t ., ,1 w 0 ,3 p— " '~ b I - this. KUTCH .syua 0;“: BAND! - ~ (/ KANDLA 5W ’ P. ‘ A"WMEDAE’NAD .7 GULF OF KUTCH a o .a a , ‘ RAJKOT °BARODA J> SAURASHTRA g 2 ca 5 \l, ‘6 .sueA'r' I... 5' .NAVSARI U .bULSAR 0- FIGURE 1: SKETCH MAP OF THE STATE. OF GUJARAT zohnx no mgnwlzoawd 10:25. 2. moznoao 07:19“. 2.32 ..N maze—.... >ausumxm "muusom m.mm m.oa m.am m.wH H.om m.mH umngmumo m.om A.NN s.mm m.ma «.mm «.mm umn5m>oz m.mm a.om m.mm o.m~ o.mm s.m~ umnouuo m.Hm o.am N.Hm o.s~ m.Hm s.mm umnempamm m.om «.5m m.om o.m~ m.om m.sw umsms< m.0m H.mm m.Hm m.mm s.Hm m.wm sash «.mm m.mm m.mm m.mm m.mm m.mm maze o.mm m.mm o.mm m.m~ m.mm m.mm was m.Hm m.mm m.mm o.om m.Hm s.mm Hauo< 0.0m m.HN m.am o.mm H.om H.NN roam: H.sm s.ma s.om m.sa m.mm o.mH mumsunmm u.m.mm u.m.sa u.m.mm o.H.aH o.m.mm u.a.ma sumacmn .mum omsa .mu: ammo .mum omsa .mum ammo .mum omea .mum cmmo mnswmumaema QHSm hum muzvmummeme QHSm mun mufiumummeme Qasm who nucoz moma wmma mmmH mmmmO < MAfiBZOZ ho Bzmzmfi<fim H Mdm<fi TABLE 2 STATEMENT OF RAINFALL RECORDED AT NEW KANDLA OBSERVATORY FOR THE PERIOD 1963 TO 1965 IN KUTCH, INDIA Year 1963 1964 1965 Month .Rain in Rain in Rain in Millimeters Millimeters Millimeters January Nil 0.6 21.2 February Nil Nil Nil March Nil Nil T' April 0.2 Nil T' May Nil Nil T‘ June 2.8 72.8 T‘ July 8.2 117.0 317.6 August 48.6 154.7 38.4 September 40.4 35.0 T‘ October 45.6 Nil T‘ November 23.2 Nil Nil December T‘ Nil Nil ‘T indicates rainfall trace but not measurable. Source: Executive Engineer's Office, Kandla Port. 10 TABLE 3 AVERAGE RESULTS OF SALINITY AND TEMPERATURE OF KANDLA CREEK WATER FROM NOVEMBER, 1963, To APRIL, 1965, IN KUTCH, INDIA Temperature in Year Month gziégity Centigrade of Remarks °/.. g Creek Water 1963 Nov. 11.5 . . 1. No observa— tions have Dec. 12.0 . . been made regarding 1964 May 10.5 29°C P.H. values; however, the June 11.5 30.5 P.H. value of creek water July 10.5 29.5 varies between 7.8 Aug. 11.0 30.0 to 8.4. Sept. 10.5 31.0 2. There is no major differ- Oct. 10.25 28 ence between the salinity Nov. 11.5 22 readings and temperature Dec. 11.5 21 of the creek water at the 1965 Jan. 11.5 21.5 surface and at the mid Feb. 12.0 22 depth. March 12.0 23 April 11.5 28 Source: .Executive Engineer's Office, Kandla Port. THE FISHING COMMUNITY The fishing population of this zone is born as a community to engage in fishing, as anywhere in India. During the reign of princes, the fishermen were severely excluded from society. Because of this, many of them left their vocation and took up jobs as unskilled laborers in salt works--which abound in this region--and other indus- tries which are springing up at a rapid pace. Many work as "Tindels" (helmsmen) and "Khalasis" (sailors) in the trad- ing country crafts. Since Independence, the state govern- ment has given good assistance and encouragement by provid- ing them with subsidised loans to build boats, purchase machines and nylon yarn. As a result, fishermen are slowly returning to their natural vocation. There are two principal fishing communities in this region--both Muslim. They are the "Vaghers" of the western area and "Mianas" of the eastern side. They are extremely poor and are dominated by superstitions. They are a very sturdy race and are well known for endurance. With the available primitive craft and gear, fishermen are able to fish only in the inland waters and in a narrow coastal belt. Though they work very hard and in most difficult conditions, their returns are very meager. ll 12 In the area under survey the ownership of the equip- ment can be put into two categories: 1. Individual ownership. 2. Owned by middlemen and given to fishermen on a contract basis. Many individuals who own equipment hire fishermen who do not own boats, etc., on a percentage basis. Those who do not possess the necessary equipment can get loans from cooperative societies either to build boats, install engines, or to purchase cotton and nylon twine for making nets. There are five working cooperative societies, viz., Malia, Navlakhi, Kandla, Modhwa, and Jakhau in this region. (Table 4 shows the number of fishermen in various villages; see Tables 4 and 5.) 13 TABLE 4 NUMBER OF FISHERMEN BY VILLAGE1 Total NO' Off Season 3 Name of Fishin Chil- Actually Occu ation . 9 Men Women Engaged p No. Village Popula- dren in Fish- and Other tion ing Occupation (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) l. Lakhpat 52 l7 14 21 12 2. Koteshwar . . . . . . . . . . 3. Jakhau 64 19 21 24 16 4. Suthri 5. Sandhan 11° 35 31 44 27 All of 6. Bambdai 45 13 14 18 10 them work 7. Sindhodi 75 20 25 30 19 for daily 8. Layja 64 25 19 20 25 wages at 9. Mandvi-Salaya 115 20 26 69 15 Kandla 10. Modhwa 181 64 64 53 60 Port and 11. Targadi 46 18 16 12 10 various 12. Navinar 72 16 22 34 9 other salt 13. Jarpara 77 20 24 33 16 works (4) 14. Mundra . . . . . . . . . . in this 15. Sekhdia 52 18 20 14 10 zone and 16. Luni 185 60 55 70 40 at the 17. Bhadreshwar 70 21 20 29 18 Caltex, 18. Ramper 20 7 8 5 7 Burma l9. Sanghad 48 14 16 18 12 Shell, and 20. Tuna-Takkra 300 80 90 130 75 Standard 21. Kandla Old vaccuum and New 414 97 104 213 54 oil depots. 22. Kharirohar 23. Cherai 212 64 51 97 33 24. Surbari 436 132 105 199 106 25. Adesar 246 62 58 126 45 26. Navlakhi 753 214 229 310 197 27. Malia 455 140 129 186 123 28. Hanjiasar 300 85 93 122 52 29. Kajarda 162 49 46 67 32 30. Zajasar (Karasova) 120 33 28 59 26 Total 4,674 1,343 1,328 2,003 1,049 1Data collected personally. Population figures are given for persons in the fishermen community who are directly or indirectly connected with fishery. 14 TABLE 5 SECTIONS OF COAST LINE OF KUTCH AREA, THEIR PRINCIPAL FISHERIES AND GEAR USED Coast Fishing Serial . Line Area in Principal Gear No. Section in Square Fisheries Used Miles Miles 1. Kandla Creek1 8 16 Prawn Gunja to Tuna Hilsa Rachh Catfish Patti Mullet 2. Tuna to Mandvi 28 154 Prawn Gunja Hilsa Wirral Ghol-Dara Patti Cybium Mullet Catfish 3. Mandvi to 84 150 Prawn Gunja Jakhau Mullet Rachh Cybium Shark Coilia Pomfret Bombay-duck lBetween Navlakhi and Kandla there are extensive Prawn fishing grounds within creeks. This area is not completely shown in the table. Source: Government of Gujarat. Fisheries Department Annual Administration Report, July 1, 1962 to June 30, 1963. TRANSPORT, REFRIGERATION, AND MARKETING A serious handicap in the marketing of a perishable commodity like fresh fish is a lack of transport, ice, and cold storage facilities in this region. Large quantities of fish, which could be made available to people in fresh condition, either perish and have to be converted into manure or have to be dried or salted. There are only four ice factories in Kutch with the total production capacity only 25 tons per day. The ice is prohibitively costly for commercial use so that private trade has not shown any interest in utilizing ice for the preservation of fish. One ice factory, however, with a l2-ton per day capacity and with cold storage facilities, has been built at Kandla Port by the state fisheries department. These facilities are not being fully utilized at present, but it is expected that they will be of great significance for the fishing industry in this area in the near future. The fish are carried by head loads or by bullock carts and camel carts to the local markets which are 8 to 14 miles and even 20 miles away from fishing villages and landing places. 15 16 With only 44 miles of railroad from Kandla to Bhuj and another linking Kandla with Gujarat, and the poor con- dition of roads, it is extremely difficult to transport fresh fish from fishing villages for export or even local consumption in Kutch. The state fisheries department has, however, under- taken a pilot scheme for marketing fresh fish in Bombay markets. With a population of about 5 million, Bombay is a lucrative market. Insulated van and ice boxes of the department have been pressed into service for collecting fish from landing centers--most of which are far away from railway stations-—packing them in ice, and dispatching the same to Bombay and Surat markets. Local Markets There are no regular fish markets in this region, but in important towns like Bhuj, Mandvi, Gandhidham, etc., there are certain wooden stalls or special areas where fish are sold. The sanitary conditions of these places, how- ever, are deplorable. Outside Markets The export trade of fish, mostly sundried, is in the hands of petty fish traders who buy the fish from middlemen called "Mundars" at rates which are fixed annually. The main export centers are Bombay, Surat, and Ahmedabad. 17 The prices fixed by these merchants are far too low, and the fishermen are ruthlessly exploited. Cooperative societies at various places have slowly taken up fresh and dry fish marketing and are obtaining nearly double the prices offered by merchants. Landing, Navigation, and Harbor Facilities There are no landing, navigation, or harbor facili- ties provided exclusively for the fishing trade in this region. The government of India has, however, recently constructed a fishing jetty at Kandla Port. This will facilitate the fish landings of this area to some extent. FISH CURING AND PRESERVATION In the absence of adequate supplies of ice, facili- ties of cold storage, and rapid transport, large(almost all) quantities of the catch are dried and cured all along the coast, usually under conditions that are not altogether hygenic and economical. Sun-drying The fish are dried on the beach on sea sand or mats (rarely) for 2-4 days with an occasional turning over. By far the largest quantities of fish are cured by this method. Small and lean types of fish like Prawns, Bombay— ducks, Coilia, Trichiurus, etc., are cured in this manner. Of these, the sun-drying of Prawns and Bombay-ducks is of special interest. The Prawns are boiled in kerosene tins in salt-water solution (sea water) for 20 to 30 minutes and spread on sand or bamboo—mats (if available) for drying, for nearly 48 hours, after which the Prawns are placed in gunny bags and beaten. The shells of Prawns, except the telson and a little of the carapace, are completely removed, and the contents then are seived. The product remains good for about 4 to 6 months, but the size is very small—-200 to 300 to a pound——and hence does not find a good market. 18 19 For Bombay-ducks (Harpodon sp.), specially raised bamboo poles are constructed and thick coir ropes are tied horizontally to them. The poles are about 6 to 7 feet apart. The fish are washed in sea water; two fish are interlocked by jaws and hung on ropes, one on each side. After completely drying, they are packed in bundles of 1,000, each bundle being called "Bhara." Salt Curing Only fishes like "Gol" (Sciaena sp.), "Dara" (Polynemus sp.), "Sharks," and "Catfish" are salted and dried in this region. "G01" and "Dara" are gutted on board and salted at a proportion of 1 salt to 3 fish by weight. Only Gujarat fishermen who come to this area for Gol-Dara fishery do this kind of curing and take the cured fish with them to their home ports. The product is reported to be good for a couple of months. "Sharks" and "Catfish" are gutted and cleaned with sea water and salted in proportion of 1 salt to 4 fish by weight. The salted fish are stacked for only a few days and then sun—dried. The product is not very satisfactory from the standpoint of keeping quality. Many times the quantity of salt used is not ade- quate, and the product generally is liable to insect attack and putrefaction. There is a good fish curing yard at Tuna 20 and one under formation at Modhwa. During the several visits to these places, it was noticed that these yards were unused and uncared for. Icing and Chilling Fish are packed in pinewood tea-boxes and each amount of fish is packed with equal quantity of ice. Very finely crushed ice is sandwiched between layers of fish, ensuring good preservation. This method is not very popular in this region, except at Navlakhi, during peak season, due to difficulties of transport, scarcity and resultant cost of ice. FISHING CRAFT AND GEAR There is no selectiveness in fishing boats. They vary in size from 0.5 tons to 10 tons. Most of the boats are between the range of 0.5 tons to 3 tons. They are, however, in a way, quite suitable for the work done by them. The flat-bottomed boats of Malia-Surbari area are efficient in their own zones. Some of the boats of Kutch, especially of Luni—Sekhadia area, are large and very well built. In the opinion of Olef Jan Traung (F.A.0. 1953), the design of Saurashtra-Kutch sailing boats is ". . . indeed a magnificent contribution towards sailing naval architecture. . . ." Flat-bottomed Boats of Surbari-MaIia These boats are generally used for Prawn fishing in the shallow creeks and tidal areas in the little desert of Kutch. They are plank-built and with a flat bottom. Due to the flat bottom they are very suitable for fishing in these shallow water areas. They can be handled easily and safely in muddy bottoms, during low tides. Each boat costs about $100 to $170, depending on the size of the boat (see Table 6). 21 Am“... J 22 umsouaumrz .mm mmm 00H . . 0mm mm 302 can UHO waocmx .Hm oom om . . . . mo muxxmalmcsa .om . . ma N mm m omnmawm .mH NH . . . . 4H m umaswm .mH . . . . m Nb . . umznmouomnm .bH . . . . m OHN 5 Hana .ma . . . . m mm N maonxmm .ma 0 o o o o o o o o 0 ”guns: ofiH o o o o o 0 0V m mumgumb OMH o o o o o o mfl o o “mg-“>02 ONH ma . . . . NA m Hommume .AH ow m . . om ma mznooz .OH 0 o o o o o o o o o MWMHmm'HNVUCM—L om :.Hmm unease: RH m . . omH m «ammo .m no :uxxm:u= mm Hoonocam .b czocx xaamuoa ma um: . . . . . . . . . . Hmonemm .m ummu .mHmmEHE mom cmnocmm .m pmc ummu mco ummma pm Hurvsm .v mcfi>mc Emeumnmflm zoom . . . . . . . . H Dmcxmb .m .muorm Eonm omumummo . . . . . . . . . . umznmmuox .m mfl.mc “wmu ”HQO o o o o o o o o o o “MQSV—mg 0H 8v A: SC SC :3 Amy 3V TC mghmemm Amvv fiUv Anv AMV wflmom mmMHHH> oOZ Nmymz mo .02 mo .02 mo wEmz m HMG¢AAH> Mm memz 024 mHHuum mnmnmam a: madxmu mum cmeumrmam whoa ocm whoa .mm>aucwucfi £05m 0“ man .uHHDQ coma o>m£ mommHHH> umnuo um whoa cam mass pm mpmon 30c usom ymcp om .mumon mcfioawsn mom cm>Hm Omam mum mcmoq Homo on» mummuuca manmuooamcou Haas mane .mmum many CH Myanmamu .cmEumanm on pcwficnw>oo mumum map an GMOH co cw>Ho mmz mcw3p cowyou mo DGSOEm manmumofimcou M van coax: mo mocsoa odomnocp m psonm .umamm was» mo GOHDTHQEOU TED umymm .mecmumm Amncaov mama mom Assommv mum: HHHO .wmmmaaw> mmmnu Ham mcapflmw> an .mmmH ca omuumaaoo haamaomumm mm: sumo mafia on “UV mamuuaz Ans Afiuummv mums mxmam Amcm H HGH.N Ham.a RH oao.m mom Hmpoe oa . . . . mm NH mammmmu .om ma 6H . . NH HA moumnmx .mm mm ma . . . . RH ummmfificmm .mm .umon sweepuonunmflm mma mm . . RAH ma mAHmz .RN 0H4 mom . . mam Hm ermfl>mz .mm mNN O O 0 O O O O 0 “mme4 0mm .umon omeouponupmflm mom mm . . 004 me Humnusm .am mmm mm . . cam ma Hmumru .mm Amv Asv Ame Amy Awe Amv Ame AHV mxumemm Aoc fine “no Ame mumom momHHH> .oz mflmz MO .02 MO .02 MO OEMZ m. UOSCHDCOUIIQ mqmdfi 24 Navlakhi-Kandla Boats (Hodies) These boats are plank-built, keeled, and with pointed stern. They are sturdier than Surbari-Malia types and are locally built at Navlakhi, Kandla, and Mandvi. Each boat costs between $180 and $320. These boats are used for inshore fishing and for carrying mangroves. Luni-Sekhadia Machwas or Dhangi These are very sturdy and excellent boats and are locally built at Mandvi with teak wood. Each boat costs between $320 and $1,000. Hornell (1920) in describing a Kothia—-similar to Machwa (but bigger)—-says: . . . to see a great Kothia foaming through the water with a fair-wind, the sun lighting the great spread of white sail and red carred poop, is one of the prettiest sights in the Eastern seas and one that instinctively brightens our respect for the face that has evolved the type, powerful and admirably fitted for deep sea service. . . . Fishinngear and Its Operation The fishermen of this region have only primitive fishing gear. Poverty and discouragement from society have deprived these brave persons from any chances to adopt the better fishing methods of their Saurashtra, Gujarat, and Bombay brethren. There are four main types of nets utilized in fishing: 1. Gunja or bag-stake net. 25 2. Patti or stake net. 3. Wirral, a type peculiar to this zone. 4. Rachh or gill net. Gunja Net This net is mainly used for Prawn fishing in the Gulf of Kutch, which is one of the richest grounds of Prawn fishing. It is a bag net with a comparatively wide mouth gradually tapering at the throat, funnel, and cod end. The net is nearly 16 to 18 feet long. The cod end is 5 feet long, funnel 4 to 5 feet long, and throat 7 to 8 feet long. The circumference of the mouth is about 22 feet. The mouth is usually squarish. The throat has a mesh of 1—1/2", funnel 1-1/4", the precod end 1/2", and the bag 1/4". The cod end is open but is tied by a coir twine while in opera- tion. The net is made of cotton twine. Each net is made from about 2-1/2 pounds of cotton twine and costs between $5 and $6; it lasts for about three seasons. The net is preserved by a treatment of concentrated solution of the bark of mangrove called "Kharod." The net is staked during low tide with the cod end firmly tied and is let to func- tion during high tide. The creeks at the tide have about 5 to 7 feet of water. During the first high tide the cod end is emptied and the net is left to perform its function again. Gunja remains staked for 8 to 9 days and then is removed for repairs. The fishes caught in this type of net 26 are Prawns, Mullets, Sea-perches, small Jew fish, and small Sharks, etc. The net is operated mainly in the inner Gulf of Kutch during August to December. Patti Net These are rectangular pieces of nets which are closely interlaced and are used for creek fishing and in tidal basins. Dimensions vary according to the size of the net and its functions. Each piece is about 50 feet long and 3 to 4 feet wide, the mesh being 1/2" to 1" size. A bamboo stick is laid at intervals of 10 feet as a stake. This net is preserved by "Kharod." The net is fixed to sea bottom during the low tide in the creeks and tidal basins. With the rise of tide, the net gets distended and encloses fish that go up during the tide. This method of fishing is very primitive, and the returns are extremely poor. There are also larger stake nets which have a depth of 6 to 9 feet and have mesh of the size of 3-1/2" to 4". They are called "Katri" and are made from coir twine. The preservative used is "Kharod." The fishes caught in these nets are Mullets, small Hilsa, Polynemus sp., Perches, small Pomfrets, Bombay-ducks, etc. The nets are operated all year except in monsoon. Rachh Net This is a gill net or a drift net and is used in inshore and offshore waters. It is made from cotton yarn, 27 though a few fishermen do possess nylon gill nets. Each piece of net is about 110 feet to 120 feet in length and 10 to 12 feet deep. The mesh size is 4" to 4-1/2". The pre- servative used is "Kharod." The head rope is 1/4" in diameter with wooden floats every 12 to 13 feet. There are usually nine floats to a net. The ground rope is also of the same thickness and has small stone sinkers every 25 feet. During operation, one end of the net is buoyed by a drum and a flag and the other end is tied to the boat. The net is kept in operation from 4 to 6 hours from the flow of tide to the beginning of the ebbs. The net is operated from March to mid-May. The Gujarat fishermen, who come in this area for Gol- Dara fishery, use gill nets made out of Italian hemp. The nets are about 180 to 200 feet in length and 10 to 12 feet deep. The mesh size is 5-1/2" to 6". The fishing area for this type of net is in deeper waters. Wirral Net This type of net is only used by fishermen of Sanghad, Luni, and Mundra area. The net is made out of coir twine and is 7 to 8 feet deep and with 2" to 4-1/2" mesh. The net is in the form of an inverted "L" with a longer arm about 700 to 750 feet long and a shorter arm about 450 to 500 feet long. At intervals of every 20 to 25 feet, long bamboo sticks are tied to the net. During the 28 low tide the net is distinctly visible and is considerably below water during the receding tide. One Wirral generally covers the entire area of a small creek. The catches are mainly Sharks, Catfishes, Polynemus, Hilsa, and small Sciaena, etc. One net is usually owned by several families, and the catch per day—-which comes to about 70 to 100 pounds-~has to be divided between them. Many fishermen who do not have boats and nets, e.g., fishermen from Layja to Lakhpat area, use only cast nets which are called "Hathjal" or "Chakkar—jal." Fishing with lines is not yet popular in this region and very few fishermen, if any, possess hooks and lines. -v- "...--45; LA _n-'_.A '.J‘\ u- .1 1‘. (A... .n .4. -.A .I . . “life"I III!" III}: ' 1;; ‘:"' (1“! k “rt-‘34 '.' ‘n- I {0,66 69%; NJ! {xx-Dam): '-:;‘ I ”w ,’ '0,” 3.9 3 ’I/w\ §w€x "0“ MM ’1’ I It, I ‘2’ ...... I '/"I (I I, Figure 4 : A STRINGED CAST NET w— WW ‘— w_ _—v— v‘, rvwF' ., . :.\\-Vr"fv-Lm Ids" 3 s 30 I I V , 0 v ‘ ----‘ ' J I ‘ I ‘4 ‘ I". ‘ I ‘ I 1.2: - : 1 '. :1 -I i '-I '3 ‘C .1 '17 ‘ 1- '1 Ir" "44.731 ' I... "'1‘! '\ 2”" _-:’- 1:2 .5 “an“? “b m3- ~ ""~."\ ,:~ :3- £335: . . v , ‘ . . ( Q _._.. .3... ‘37? 5.43. \z 2? 344:3.“ 12.-41“.- ...-MIAJJC-r» “ “...-“... ...:_‘"“’ ‘ “5mg 3'??? ,~~$",é- ‘53? 1'" 9 ‘3 fifil‘éqlgfi I ___. fim I 5". SIC/N...- ‘. 431.33% 423; -_ Wm... 1' ’7'- - :é.~"‘:w . M I ......_---.-:.;..-.u.... ‘1‘ ...-”‘2... -.- .n:‘,v.f_;;- ... '4 19:12:23.: - .- v.41...” ' i , FIGURE 5 : OPERATION OF A DRIFT OR GILL NET ”,1 I TCW‘I‘.‘ '- ' - r: “7f". "T~".' V‘-‘_1:'-v wfirv—‘p-p _'-v.w“:‘r ,v'f'uw W“ 31 '. ‘ "owiuw'o’on %fi-%90%-Q§. ‘ ...O’.............. $0.9”o’o’oz'o’o' “‘30... '0 0.9? "3.0% ‘ A’A’.’ J: V 0A >~m FIGURE 6 8 A STAKE NET a ‘3 4 I? 3 *3 (4 ‘7 ( ‘fi 0 + .. 1 Q .9 0.0. O 90.9.0.0 §¢O§ 09. $1?””” {‘7— \‘2 'l 02 A ,. 9.? .90. .1. V. O O O O O Q .91: O < 1%? _ “‘A‘mVAv.'. 9 ‘d' A 9:: 020‘ A v "A 5595;25:93 ‘ FISHERIES That the Gulf of Kutch abounds in fish is amply borne out by the fact that nearly 100 Gujarat boats every year from February to May come to this place. This is further supported by the considerable amount of fish caught by the state fisheries power crafts. It is unfortunate that the fishermen of the Kutch Region are not able to land fish in good quantity. This is only because they do not possess the proper gear--both in quality and quantity-~and have to rely upon primitive and out—dated gear like Wirrals and Patti (see Tables 7, 8, and 9)o Some Important Commercial Fisheries Prawn Fishery Among the commercially important fishes of this region, Prawns without doubt occupy the first place by virtue of the magnitude and value of the fishery they supporto With the exception of Leander spo which is fished in good quality, all the Prawns belong to the Penaeid group. The species noted are Peneaus carinatus, P. monodon, E; indicus, P. canaliculatis, Metapenecus monoceros, M. affinis, M° dobsoni, M. brevicornis, and Parapeneopsis styliferao 32 33 TABLE 7 SOME IMPORTANT FISHES AND THEIR COMMON AND LOCAL NAMES S No. Common Name Local Name Scientific Name 1. Mullet Chhodi Mugil cephalus 2. Mullet Boi Mugil spegleri 3. Mullet Gandhio Mugil dussumeri 4. Prawn‘ Keshndo Penaeus sp. 5. Prawn‘ Bhundaui Metapenaeus sp. 6. Prawn‘ Kadiary Parapenoeopsis sp. 7. Prawn‘ Nakri Leander sp. 8. Indian shad Chaksi Hilsa ilhisa 9. Giant herring Palla Hilsa toli 10. Thread fin Dara Polynemus indicus 11. Indian salmon Rawas Polynemus tetradactylus 12. Seer fish Surmai Cybium guttatum 13. Seer fish Surmai Cybium commersoni 14. Silver bar Lampdi Chirocentrus darab 15. Anchovy Phampti Engraulis mystax l6. Anchovy Palli Pellona moerogaster 17. Sea bream Dhoma Umbrina sineater 18. Jew fish Ghol Sciaena sina l9. Jew fish Ghol Sciaena glauca 20. Jew fish Ghol Sciaena diacanthus 21. Golden anchovy Mandeli Coilia dussumeri 22. Silver pomfret Vichuda Pampus argenteus 23. White pomfret Adadio Pampus chinesis 24. Black pomfret Malva Parastromateus niger 25. Ribbon fish Vagti Trichiurus savala 26. Bombay-duck Bumla Harpodon nehereus 27. Catfish Khagga Arius caelatus 28. Catfish Khagga Mystus aor 29. Horse mackrel Chapri, Bhagda Caranx hippos 30. Flat fishes Khetar Cyanoglossus lida 31. Flat fishes Khetar Pseudorhombus oligodon 32. Flying fish Kunga Cypsilurus oligolepis 33. Half beak fish Kunga Hemirhamphus sp. 34. Full beak fish Kunga Tylosurus strongylurus 35. Sea eel Waaun Murenesox cinereus 36. Moon fish Chanal Drepane punctata 37. Scat Vada Scatophagus argus 38. Leather jacket Chholia Chorinemus lysan 39. Dogfish Magra Carcharias limbatus 40. Dogfish Magra Carcharias slaticanelus 34 TABLE 7-—Continued S No. Common Name Local Name Scientific Name 41. Sawfish Vakhen Pristis cuspidatus 42. Skate Karaj Rhynchobatus djiddensis 43. Hammer headed shark Bhuther Sphyrna blochii *The general common name of Prawn is "Jinga" or "Sonia." Source of scientific names: Day, Francis—-1878: Fishes of India, Vols. I and II. Almost all these local names are peculiar to this region only and are usually not found in other parts of the state. 35 TABLE 8 PRODUCTION OF VARIOUS FISH SPECIES IN KUTCH REGION IN 1962-63 Serial Name of Fish Total Production No. (Weight in Kilograms) 1. White Pomfret 23,490 2. Black Pomfret Tr 3. Bombay-duck 41,207 4. Prawn 565,044 5. Ghol-dara 12,889 6. Cleupids 528,383 7. Coilia Tr 8. Mullet 72,546 9. Catfish 9,439 10. Shark 54,138 11. Miscellaneous 536,671 l2° Manure 13,287 Total 1,857,094 Source: Government of Gujarat. Fisheries Department Annual Administration Report, July 1, 1962 to June 30, 1963. .mmmH .om mean on mmma .H sash .uuommm coflumuu ImflcHEo< Hmfisc< vcmEpummmo mmfinmnmam .uMHOnnw mo #Gmecum>ow "wuusom .coamou was“ CH soap lusooum gnaw Hmuou Gnu mo pamu Hon m.w Mano mauom cowumesmcoo kuoq 36 H amo.smm.a mmm.mm mmm.ovs Hmm.mmm www.moa Ham.mss.fl Hmpoe mmm.afl mom.m mmo.m . . . . mmo.m «can omo.mon mas.¢ som.m . . smm.vm som.m0H mm: mmm.som omm.a maa.mm ooa.HH who.mmfl mam.mom Haum< sma.mm Nmm.m mmo.om oss.m¢ Nam.m mmm.ms nouns Hao.mm mma.m omm.om . . mmm.m mam.am .nmm www.mm smu.¢ mam.vm amm.am www.ma mmA.ms .cmn mmma mm».mm ems.v NHH.mN omm.mH amm.ma moo.mm .oma mma.ssa mom.m mom.mmH mam.oa oom.Hm Hmm.asa .>oz mNH.Nmm mmH.mH mmm.mm amm.mma www.mm omm.mam .yuo amm.mmm Hom.m smm Hmm.mmm mam.m mms.msm .udmm www.maa 6mm.afl Ns6.mmv . . . . msv.amq .ms< Ham.mm mam.a . . www.0m 6mm mmm.Hm mass mama coavosooum HGOHDQESmCOU ocmq Hamm mom pcoamz sumo: Hmuoa Hmuoq puomxm urmflms uuoaxm Amz