GENERAL

FISH AND FISHERIES

Water resources. The district is traversed by nearly 1,630 kilometres of fluvial waters, comprising mainly the river Purna and its important tributaries, viz., Man, Katepurna, Uma, Morna, Nirguna and Vidrupa, in the northern part of the district and the river Penganga, constituting a part of the southern boundary of the district. Other rivulets in the district are the Pus, Adan and Arunavati (Arna).

Impounded water resources in the district comprise nearly 1,215 hectares, including the Ekburji project (220 hectares), four perennial tanks (Rishi, Risod, Kapsi and Sawargaon) and about 150 seasonal tanks, most of which belong to the Grampanchayats.

Fishes. Names of fishes which are commonly found in the water resources of the district are given below:—

The bulk of the commercial catch, before pisciculture in the State was undertaken mainly consisted of cat fishes, murrels and minor carps. The major carps, viz., Rohu, Catla and Mrigal now constitute the bulk of the fish catch after pisciculture was undertaken in the district.

Fish Gear :—

Cast net.—The most common gear is the cast net, locally called 'bhovar jal', fabricated from cotton twine with a varying mesh from ¼" to 1".

Drag net. -These nets are locally called as 'zorli' and 'tangadi'. These were being made from cotton twine, but in the recent years fishermen have been progressively using twines of synthetic fibres. In zorli, meshes vary from ½' to 1" and in tangadi these vary from 1" to 4". Drag nets are operated by joining several pieces together, each piece measuring from 6 to 10 metres.

Gill nets.—These nets are also now progressively being fabricated from nylon twine which has gradually replaced cotton twine. The mesh and size of the gill net depends upon the respective sizes of fishes to be caught. These are generally operated during night hours and hauled in the morning.

Miscellaneous gears.—Scoop nets, called as pelvi, funnel shaped nets called as zappa and hook and lines are also used by fishermen for fishing in the water resources of the district.

Craft. Wooden plank built boats are not in vogue amongst the fishermen of this district. They generally use airtight drums tied together to serve as an improvised craft, or use motor rubber tubes to keep them afloat in water.

Fishermen. There are about 3,000 fishermen in the district, out of whom only 1,000 fishermen are full-time workers. The rest follow fishing as a subsidiary means of livelihood. They belong to the community of Dheewars and Kahars.

Developmental activities. In order to undertake the fisheries developmental activities and at the same time to bring about improvement in the socio-economic conditions of the fishermen, the Department of Fisheries established an office of the Superintendent of Fisheries under the Government of Maharashtra on October 27, 1967 at Akola. The Superintendent of Fisheries, Akola, is in charge of Akola, Amravati and Buldhana districts. To look after the developmental activities of this district the Superintendent is assisted by one Assistant Superintendent of Fisheries exclusively for the district. Pisciculture is given considerable importance in this district. As the natural waters are lacking in the quick growing varieties of carps, such as, Catla, Rohu and Mrigal, the impounded water resources in the district are being surveyed with a view to bring, on a progressive scale, as much area of water surface as possible under pisciculture with these three types of fishes. Intensification of stocking of fry of these fish is being undertaken every year for this purpose. The major quantity of the fry is being obtained from outside the State but progressive efforts are being made to produce fry within the district itself. The department undertakes the fishing activities in the Ekburji, Risod and Sawargaon tanks. Pisciculture is also undertaken by the local bodies, gram. Panchayats and individual pisciculturists. In the socio-economic field, the fishermen of the district have been organised to form five co-operative societies with a total membership of 113 and a total share capital of Rs. 9,050. Financial assistance is granted to these societies by giving subsidy on purchase of nylon and other fishery requisites, loan and subsidy for construction of rearing ponds and nurseries, desilting and renovating of tanks and on purchase of carp fry to increase the stocking intensity of the tanks for increasing the production of fish.

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