GENERAL

FISH

 Sources and prospects.

The district is not richly endowed with impounded water resources. Although the district is drained by 770 kilometres of fluvial waters, the riverine fishery is poor as majority of the catch comprises mainly catfishes, murrels and minor varieties of carps. In some of the streams connecting the Tapi river good catches of Tor-tor, the Mahaseer of India which is locally known as Vadis are reported. From sandy beds loaches are also collected by Bhil women for sale to the public.

The major river draining the district is Tapi, while the great river Narmada merely passes through the northern boundaries of the district. The Tapi has a course of nearly 86 kilometres and receives many tributaries viz., Aner, Baler, Arunavati and Gomai from the northern region of the district and Bori, Panjhara, Burai, Amravati, Shiva, Rangwal and Nesu from the southern region of the district. Besides there are 13 tanks which together provide waterspread area of about 2,000 acres, of which the most important ones are Dedargaon (249 acres), Mukti (509 acres), Gondur (277 acres), Toranmal (200 acres), Shanimandal (219 acres), Purampada (66 acres) and Goathe (56 acres). The tanks built under developmental plan have greatly enhanced the prospects of fisheries in the district.

However, efforts are being made by Fisheries Department to exploit the available water resources. Although no separate officer has been appointed for the district for undertaking the fisheries developmental activities, the Assistant Superintendent of Fisheries, Nasik, looks after the fisheries activities in this district.

With a view to undertake piscicultural programme in the district, water resources are surveyed to determine the suitability for stocking with fast growing varieties of fish such as Labeo rohita, Catla catla Cirrhina mrigalc. There has been considerable increase in the stocking intensity in recent years in relation to the potentiality of water resources, available in the district. Progressive efforts are made to bring as much waterspread under pisciculture as possible.

Fishing Communities.

Fishermen in the district mainly belong to the Bhoi community. Few Bhils, Kolis and other Adivasi communities also take to fishing. As there is a limited scope for fishing in the district, some of the fishermen take to agriculture. They particularly take to the cultivation of water melons during summer on the exposed flat stretches in the courses of rivers and streams.

Fishing Gear.

The fishing in tanks and rivers is done by means of cast nets (Sikadi, Botaki or Dahtja), gill nets (Tangada) and drag nets (Bichori).

The following is a brief description of each type of net:-

Cast net.

Locally known as Sikadi or Botaki or Dahya it is the commonest gear used in the district. This net when cast in water becomes conical. The periphery of the bottom is provided with heavy beads, used as sinkers, whereby the net sinks quickly and traps the fish. When the net is pulled with the string provided at the top, the peripheral margin forms a series of pockets, and it is in these pockets that the fish get entangled. The Mesh size of this net is 1.27 cm. (½ inch) to 2.54 cm. (1 inch) depending upon the size of the fish to be caught.

Gill nets.

Locally known as Tangada was formerly made of cotton twine but the fishermen now make use of synthetic twines of nylon and terylene which are more lasting. The size of the mesh of this net depends upon the size of the fish to be caught. The webbing of the net is fastened with the head-rope above and foot-rope below. The upper border of the net is made to float by means of floats while the lower one tied with the foot-rope is made heavy by means of beads of lead. In this way the net is kept horizontally spread in the water in which the fish get entangled while moving through it. This net is now becoming popular among the fishermen in the district.

Drag net.

It is locally known as Bichori. Drag net is made of many pieces of nets joined together, depending upon the width of the water sheet. The net when cast, forms a semi-circle around certain area. It is then drawn on the opposite bank and the fish caught in the net is collected.

Co-operatives.

There are as many as three co-operative societies of fishermen in the district and the fourth one is under registration with a total membership of 215 and a share capital of Rs. 4,000.

Financial assistance is given to the societies in the form of loan and subsidy for purchasing fishery requisites and stocking of tanks with carp-fry. They are also helped to secure tanks and ponds for purposes of pisciculture and leases of fishing rights are given on the basis of average of past three years, thus avoiding unhealthy competition by private contractors. The financial assistance is motivated to encourage the fishermen to organise themselves into co-operatives in order to improve their productive capacity and to make them less dependant on middlemen for marketing.

List of Fishes.

Following is a list of common fishes of commercial importance found in in Dhulia district: -

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