589
called ‘Bhutang’) is usually used for alluring
the fi sh.
Chhat jal is found in operation generally from
May to October, mainly by the Maimal community, in the depth range of 3.5–5.0 m in order to
extensively harvest Chanda nama .
Pelain (Plate 27.8 ) is fabricated in the form of
a triangle by tying three bamboo poles with nylon
strings. One of the poles is longer to act as a handle for the trawl. The net is tied to the vertices of
the triangular frame. A single man, tying a collecting basket to his waist, trawls the gear from
the shore to knee-deep water. The fi sh caught in
this operation are kept in the collecting basket.
Pelain is generally seen in operation at a depth
range of 0.5–1.0 m, throughout the year, mainly
for catching the trash fi shes.
Field studies revealed that Chhat jal generally accounts for c 9.3 % of the trash fi sh catches,
of which c 75.8 % of the fi sh catch usually consist of Chanda nama . This gear is totally ineffective to LGF. Pelain is mainly a domestic gear
and its catches generally account for 7.5 % of
the trash fi shes. Fish catch composition by
Pelain usually consist of Puntius spp., Mystus
spp., Glossogobius giuris , Amblypharyngodon
mola , Chanda nama , etc. This gear is also ineffective to LGF.
Investment-return analysis of the trawls has
been presented in the following table. It may be
noted here that Chhat jal costs more than Pelain in
its fabrication and also depicts higher return in
terms of CPGH. Conversely, the Pelain costs
lesser; and though it usually portrays lower
CPGH, it is a common type of fi shing gear used
by many fi shermen, as refl ected by its higher
value of NW. It generally also depicts higher values of MI and HC.
Plate 27.8 Pelain
In Sone Beel, fi shing gears exhibit seasonality in their operation. Chhat jal is the monsoon
variety. Pelain has no seasonality and is operated
throughout the year. Studies on gear specifi city
to fi shermen type revealed that all the three
classes of fi shermen, namely, occasional, part
time and professional (Kar 1990 ; Dey and Kar
1989 ; Kar et al. 1999 ), generally use Pelain on
both domestic and commercial scale, while the
Chhat jal is operated only by the Maimal community, which constitutes c 5.54 % of the professional class in Sone Beel (Kar 1990 ). Studies on
gear specifi city to fi sh types revealed that Pelain
is effective to all types of trash fi shes, while
Chhat jal is used specifi cally for hauling Chanda
nama . Effi cacy of the trawls, analysed through
CPGH experiments, revealed that Chhat jal is
more effi cacious than Pelain. Pelain, though had
a lower CPGH, is generally used by a larger section of the fi shermen belonging to all the four
fi shing communities as revealed from its high
value of NW.
27.3.6 Scooping Gears
In Sone Beel, operation of scooping gears has
been initiated by the Patni and Maimal communiFabrication cost
Catch
Return
CPGH
NW
Gear type
(Rs)
(g/haul)
(Rs/haul)
(kg )
MI
(%)
HC
Chhat jal
2,000.00
300.00
16.00
0.129 ± 0.0062
1.66
7.69
0.23
Pelain
700.00
100.00
10.00
0.104 ± 0.0060
4.66
16.61
0.80
27.3 Wetland Fish Catching Devices Exemplifi ed from a Typical Wetland in Asia
called ‘Bhutang’) is usually used for alluring
the fi sh.
Chhat jal is found in operation generally from
May to October, mainly by the Maimal community, in the depth range of 3.5–5.0 m in order to
extensively harvest Chanda nama .
Pelain (Plate 27.8 ) is fabricated in the form of
a triangle by tying three bamboo poles with nylon
strings. One of the poles is longer to act as a handle for the trawl. The net is tied to the vertices of
the triangular frame. A single man, tying a collecting basket to his waist, trawls the gear from
the shore to knee-deep water. The fi sh caught in
this operation are kept in the collecting basket.
Pelain is generally seen in operation at a depth
range of 0.5–1.0 m, throughout the year, mainly
for catching the trash fi shes.
Field studies revealed that Chhat jal generally accounts for c 9.3 % of the trash fi sh catches,
of which c 75.8 % of the fi sh catch usually consist of Chanda nama . This gear is totally ineffective to LGF. Pelain is mainly a domestic gear
and its catches generally account for 7.5 % of
the trash fi shes. Fish catch composition by
Pelain usually consist of Puntius spp., Mystus
spp., Glossogobius giuris , Amblypharyngodon
mola , Chanda nama , etc. This gear is also ineffective to LGF.
Investment-return analysis of the trawls has
been presented in the following table. It may be
noted here that Chhat jal costs more than Pelain in
its fabrication and also depicts higher return in
terms of CPGH. Conversely, the Pelain costs
lesser; and though it usually portrays lower
CPGH, it is a common type of fi shing gear used
by many fi shermen, as refl ected by its higher
value of NW. It generally also depicts higher values of MI and HC.
Plate 27.8 Pelain
In Sone Beel, fi shing gears exhibit seasonality in their operation. Chhat jal is the monsoon
variety. Pelain has no seasonality and is operated
throughout the year. Studies on gear specifi city
to fi shermen type revealed that all the three
classes of fi shermen, namely, occasional, part
time and professional (Kar 1990 ; Dey and Kar
1989 ; Kar et al. 1999 ), generally use Pelain on
both domestic and commercial scale, while the
Chhat jal is operated only by the Maimal community, which constitutes c 5.54 % of the professional class in Sone Beel (Kar 1990 ). Studies on
gear specifi city to fi sh types revealed that Pelain
is effective to all types of trash fi shes, while
Chhat jal is used specifi cally for hauling Chanda
nama . Effi cacy of the trawls, analysed through
CPGH experiments, revealed that Chhat jal is
more effi cacious than Pelain. Pelain, though had
a lower CPGH, is generally used by a larger section of the fi shermen belonging to all the four
fi shing communities as revealed from its high
value of NW.
27.3.6 Scooping Gears
In Sone Beel, operation of scooping gears has
been initiated by the Patni and Maimal communiFabrication cost
Catch
Return
CPGH
NW
Gear type
(Rs)
(g/haul)
(Rs/haul)
(kg )
MI
(%)
HC
Chhat jal
2,000.00
300.00
16.00
0.129 ± 0.0062
1.66
7.69
0.23
Pelain
700.00
100.00
10.00
0.104 ± 0.0060
4.66
16.61
0.80
27.3 Wetland Fish Catching Devices Exemplifi ed from a Typical Wetland in Asia