Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Vol. 1 (1), January 2015, pp. 112-117

An indigenous fish aggregating method practiced along the Kolong river

in Nagaon district of Assam
Pranjyoti Sharma, Jiten Sarma*, Dipak Sarma, Sarifuddin Ahmed, Bipul Phukan, Sangipran Baishya,
Dipanjan Kashyap, Manash Pratim Dutta, Paragmoni Deka & Inam Akhtar Hussain
College of Fisheries, Assam Agricultural University, Raha-782103, Nagaon, Assam
*E-mail: [email protected]
Received 19 August 2013, revised 07 May 2014

In the present study, an attempt has been made to document an indigenous fish aggregating method practiced along the
Kolong river of Raha in Nagaon district of Assam. Vertically fixed branches of Saora trees in the selected deeper portions of
river banks with a thick layer of aquatic vegetation mainly comprised by water hyacinth constitutes the fish aggregating
structure. The entire structure is encircled by a two–tier barricade consisting of the outer netting called Mosuri Jaal and an
inner drag net. The area encircled by the two nets is narrowed by inward repositioning of both the nets. After removing the
branches of Saora trees and aquatic vegetation, the encircled fishes are caught by cast nets. The catch is comprised by both
herbivorous and carnivorous fishes.

Keywords: Fish aggregating device, Mosuri-Jaal, Drag net, Saora tree, Water hyacinth (Eichorrnia crassipes), Kolong river
IPC Int. Cl.8: A01K 69/00, A01K 71/00, A01K 73/00, A01K 74/00, A01K 75/00, A01K 77/00, A01K 79/00, A01K 80/00,
A01K 81/00

The state of Assam is bestowed with rich and branches and bamboo shoots with floating aquatic
diverse fish fauna available in ponds, tanks, natural weeds like water hyacinth. In the state of Manipur,
lakes, marshy areas, swampy areas, rivers, beels, substrate-based aquaculture systems are widely
reservoirs, submerged cropped lands, etc. Assam has prevalent in the Loktak lake. Man-made floating
5050 km of rivers including tributaries of islands of aquatic grass and weeds, locally called
Brahmaputra and Barak. Indigenous traditional Phoom or Phoomdi, are spread throughout the lake
fishing knowledge among the fishing communities is and are used as the natural fish aggregating devices.
rich and varied. The traditional fishing methods in In Assam, the fish farmers adopt a traditional practice
different water bodies of Assam and other North-east in ponds and beels known as ‘Zeng’ fishery. In this
states have been described by various authors1-7. method, bamboo branches, locally known as ‘Zeng’,
In addition to the traditional fishing methods, are used as natural substrates in fish culture ponds to
fishermen all over the world have evolved some kind protect fish ponds from poaching. Besides attracting
of traditional knowledge to attract and aggregate the fish for shelter, it also provides food to the stocked
fish to facilitate its easy harvest. Senanayak8 reported fishes in the form of periphyton settled on rough
Athkotu as substrate based fishery from Sri Lanka. surfaces.
Other instances are the ‘Kathas’ of Bangladesh9, the Fish aggregating devices (FAD) are natural or
‘Samarahs’ in Cambodia10 and ‘Phoom’ of Manipur11. artificial objects or structures placed at the bottom,
Katha, a fish aggregating device, is the traditional suspended in the water column, or kept afloat on the
method of fishing in rivers where substrates like surface of aquatic bodies to attract, aggregate and
Colocasia esculenta and branches of bamboo, mango generate demersal, pelagic, resident or migratory
etc are used as a medium for algal attachment. fishes. These structures attract fish that congregate
Bernascek et al.12 have studied extensively the use of under and around them for the purpose of shade,
katha in the northeast region of Bangladesh. The shelter, food and breeding grounds. Several
‘Samarahs’ in Cambodia is made out of the tree hypotheses have been reviewed for such aggregative
_______
and associative behavior of various fish species
*Corresponding author around natural or man-made objects13.
 SHARMA et al.: FISH AGGREGATING METHODS PRACTICED IN NAGAON DISTRICT OF ASSAM, INDIA 113

The Kolong is a tributary of Brahmaputra which portion along the banks of the Kolong river for
originates from Hatimura region of Jakhalabandha construction of the FAD. For preparation of the FAD,
(Nagaon district). After traversing a distance of bamboo poles, branches of ‘Saora’ trees, two types of
approximately 250 km through the districts of net namely an outer encircling net locally known as
Nagaon, Morigaon and Kamrup, it meets the same at ‘Mosuri Jaal’ and an inner drag net, country made
Kolongpar near Guwahati. The traditional fishermen boats, locally fabricated implements for collecting
along the Kolong river in Nagaon district of Assam branches of Saora trees, fine meshed-hapa, water
use an age old practice that they have evolved hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) are commonly used.
utilizing the branches of Saora trees along with Saora (Streblus asper Lour, Family: Moraceae)
natural weed masses as a fish aggregating device. tree is a small-sized tree which is indigenous to
This is essentially a periphyton based aquaculture tropical countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia,
system which is also known as “brush park fishery” or Phillipines and Thailand (Fig. 1). In India, it is known
“brush shelter fishery”. In addition to the use of by several vernacular names such as Shakhotaka
traditional methods as mentioned above, this (Sanskrit), Siora (Hindi), Sheora (Bengali) and Saora
aggregation method provides an important source of (Assamese). Streblus asper is a well known
livelihood for the fishermen. During the peak season, ethnomedicinal plant and its use in the Indian
the riverine stretch is dotted with such aggregating traditional folk medicine is also well documented.
complexes. This fishery lasts for 5 months Various parts of the plant are used for the treatment of
(November to March) when the water level decreases piles, toothache, leprosy, filiariasis, elephantiasis,
and the rivers become calm and cool. The present dysentery and diarrhea.
study is a maiden effort to document an indigenous
fish aggregating method using branches of Saora trees Results
as a substratum for periphyton growth along with Once the site has been selected, the fishermen fix
other weed masses. the freshly cut branches of ‘Saora’ trees vertically and
in close proximity to one another in the river bed.
Methodology Close arrangement within the defined area creates a
The study was conducted in the Kolong river meshwork of branches that aids in the retention of
during the month of November, 2012 to March, 2013. water hyacinth and other aquatic weeds such as
Field survey was conducted in the river stretch Salvenia sp and Pistia sp on the surface. This
passing through Raha town of Nagaon district for aggregate of branches topped with a thick vegetation
studying the detailed operation of the fish aggregating of aquatic weeds constitutes the FAD (Fig. 2). In a
device and the fishing method employed. Altogether single fishing season, the fishermen construct
four Fish Aggregating Device (FADs) were studied 6-7 such FADs within a kilometer along the river
and its catch composition noted. Data on the FAD stretch. These FADs, once constructed, are retained
was collected through intensive field survey and undisturbed in this condition for 2- 3 months to create
interaction with the local fishermen and prominent an ideal habitat and shelter for the fishes. Fish begin
citizens of the locality. To carry out the present study, to inhabit these structures after about two months.
the fishermen were contacted and a suitable date was On the day of fishing, the area is encircled by two
fixed on which sufficient number of fishermen types of net as mentioned earlier. First, the inner
participated in the discussion. Relevant information barricade is constructed by fixing bamboo poles on
about the FAD being practiced by the local fishermen the river bed in a semi-circular manner around the
was collected through PRA techniques14. Besides, FAD (Figs. 3 & 4). This is immediately followed by
prior informed consent (PIC) was taken from the attachment of the inner drag net to the bamboo poles
knowledge providers which in the present study were to prevent escape of the fishes from the cordoned area
the local fishermen and prominent citizens of the area. (Fig. 5). On an average, 4 to 5 fishermen participate in
The Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) employed for the fixing of bamboo poles and net attachment.
catching fish is normally carried out during the post- Thereafter, the outer barricade is constructed in the
monsoon months. When the water level recedes and same manner to which the ‘Mosuri Jaal’ is fixed. The
the surface currents subside during the months of distance maintained between the two nets is
November to December, the fishermen select a deeper approximately 4 - 5 feet.
114 INDIAN J TRADIT KNOWLE, VOL. 1, No. 1, JANUARY 2015

The Mosuri Jaal, a fine meshed net fabricated of a temporary installed hapa nearby (Figs. 11 & 12).
nylon netting, is approximately 80 feet in length and The cast net is cleaned off any adhering twigs of
20 feet in height. Its mesh size is 1 – 1.2 mm. When Saora trees. After complete harvest, the brush shelter
fixed to the bamboo poles, almost the entire net is is rebuilt for the next operation. Fishing by cast net is
submerged under water and kept upright by repeated several times for complete harvesting. The
attachment of sinkers to the footrope. The total length fishes are preserved in live condition in a hapa so as
and height of the inner net are approximately 70 feet to sell it in the next day auction.
and 30 feet, respectively. When fixed to the bamboo According to the information gathered from the
poles, 20 - 22 feet of the net is submerged under water fishermen, the same FAD is reconstructed and used in
while the remainder projects above the water surface the same location three times during the season. After
acting as a vertical fence to prevent escape of fishes catching the fish, the fishermen remove the bamboo
during actual netting operation. It is usually poles and the nets and stack it on the banks. The same
constructed of polyamide material. Sinkers made of branches of Saora trees, but now devoid of leaves and
iron material are used and regularly spaced along the bark, and water hyacinth are arranged as done in the
foot rope to retain the net in vertical position. first case and kept for one month to create a suitable
The first step is to narrow down the area covered by habitat and shelter for the fish. The entire process is
the drag net. This is achieved by physically removing repeated as described earlier. After complete
the bamboo poles (to which the drag net is attached) harvesting in the third attempt, the entire structure is
and repositioning it in an inward direction thereby dismantled as fishing is banned in Assam from 1st
reducing the encircled area. The inward repositioning April to 15th July.
of the bamboo poles with the net affixed is repeated 4 Discussion
to 5 times. To maintain the uniform distance between Fig. 13 shows the average catch composition in the
the two nets, the outer net is also repositioned inwards four FADs. In the present study, the catch was
in the same manner as the inner net. dominated by carnivorous fishes. On an average,
Upon completion of the two-tier barricade, water Chitala chitala comprised nearly 44% of the total
hyacinth is removed manually by slightly unfolding catch followed by Wallago attu which constituted
one end of the drag net and expelling the weeds into 26%. Labeo calbasu and Aorichthys aor comprised
the space between the inner and outer barricade nearly 10 % and 8%, respectively. The total catch in
(Fig. 6). However, the entire vegetation is not removed the four FADs studied is shown in Fig. 14.
and a portion of it is retained at one corner within the Fish aggregating Device (FAD) is a permanent,
area covered by the drag net. It is done with a view to semi-permanent or temporary structure or device
congregate and catch those fishes which might attempt made from any material and used to lure fish. Use of
to escape during progressive reduction of the area by substrates to aggregate fish in the natural environment
the drag net. Another reason for its retention is that has been in practice for several centuries in different
during actual catching by cast net, some fishes might parts of the world. The FAD employed by the
escape and take shelter under the retained vegetation. traditional fisher folk in the present study is being
These fishes are then finally caught by cast net by used from time immemorial. It is probable that the
removing the water hyacinth. The fishermen remove ancestors of the fishermen exploited the knowledge of
the branches of ‘Saora’ trees either manually from fish behavior by practical observation and experience
boats or use locally fabricated devices as shown in in evolving the present technique. In the present
Figs. 7 & 8. The retrieved branches are not disposed study, it was reported by the fishermen that the fish
but retained on the upper slopes of the river banks for catch decreases when the same FAD is constructed
use in subsequent operations. and used three times in the same location and in the
To carry out the actual fishing operation, cast nets same season. That is, the catch is high in the first
are slowly laid from the boats from one end to the fishing attempt which decreases in the subsequent
opposite end so as to encircle the area below (Fig. 9). second and third attempts. According to the
Once laid, the two ends of the head rope and foot rope traditional belief, the high fish catch in the first
are gradually pulled by fishermen towards the bank attempt is attributed to the use of freshly cut branches
and finally hauled (Fig. 10). The fishes are extricated of Saora trees with leaves and bark intact. The fisher
from the net, collected and stored in live condition in folks believe that the fishes eat on the leaves and bark
 SHARMA et al.: FISH AGGREGATING METHODS PRACTICED IN NAGAON DISTRICT OF ASSAM, INDIA 115

of the Saora trees. The lower yields in the subsequent construction. This period encourages good growth of
attempts are believed by the fishermen to be due to periphyton on the rough bark surfaces of Saora trees
the use of denuded Saora trees. and thereby provides abundant food for the
According to the authors, the high fish catch in the congregated fishes. The subsequent FADs, once
first attempt could be attributed to the retention period constructed, are retained for only one month.
of the first FAD for 2 to 3 months after its However, the Saora trees used in the subsequent

Fig. 1-12 Saora (Streblus asper) tree; (2) Fish aggregating device bounded by two tier net barricade; (3 & 4) Fixation of the inner net;
(5) Fixation of the outer drag net; (6) Removal of weeds (7) Removal of Saora tree branches; (8) Wooden implement used for removal of
Saora branches; (9) Laying of cast net; (10) Hauling of cast net; (11) Collection of harvested fish; (12) Harvested fish being stored in a hapa.
116 INDIAN J TRADIT KNOWLE, VOL. 1, No. 1, JANUARY 2015

Fig. 14 -Total catch in the four FADs

Fig. 13- Species composition and abundance in the four FADs
1 Dry coconut husks, which are easily available in
attempts are devoid of barks. This short retention rural households, with its rough surfaces can be
period along with denuded stems may lead to lesser tied to the branches of Saora trees to encourage
periphyton growth that is manifested in the lower additional periphyton growth and fish yields.
yields of fish. 2 Intact coconuts leaves can also be vertically
In katha fisheries, fishermen mostly employ fixed in the river bottom along with branches of
different types of floating aquatic vegetation such as Saora trees thereby increasing the proportion of
Enhydra fluctuans, Ipomoea acquatica and rough surface area availability and thereby
Eichhornia crassipes. For shelter of fishes, branches stimulate periphyton growth and fish production.
and roots of different trees such as Barrington 3 Old jute bags and paddy straws can also be tied
acutangula, Tamarindus indica, Enterolobium saman, in the same manner which will contribute to
Mangifera indica, Psidium guajava are widely used. periphyton and fish growth.
In the present case, fishermen mostly used water 4 Locally fabricated bamboo mats can also be
hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) as aquatic vegetation placed along with Saora branches to achieve the
and branches of Saora trees for providing shade and objectives mentioned above.
shelter. 5 In addition to the above alternatives, a
traditional practice exists in some parts of
Conclusion Assam which makes use of the hollow stems of
The brush park fishery using branches of Saora coconut and betel nut trees to stimulate the
trees is a simple, efficient, low cost, eco-friendly breeding of Chitala chitala,a predacious fish.
traditional fishing technique which contributes to Hence, initial incorporation of coconut stems
satisfy the nutritional requirements of the fisher-folk during FAD construction will stimulate
besides generating additional income. These FADs periphyton growth and will promote fish
are prepared with cheap and locally available production. Retention of these stems after
materials. The fish catch obtained using this FAD can complete fishing will aid in the breeding of the
be increased if suitable modifications are predacious fish.
incorporated. In brush park fishery, farmers employ The alternatives suggested above are simple and
several strategies to increase productivity. For shall contribute to increase in fish production.
instance, in ‘phoom’ fishing in Manipur, the However, field trials are necessary to evolve
fishermen increase weed density with the objective of technologies that are appropriate to the fishing
stimulating periphyton growth and thereby practices noticed. Therefore, interaction with fishermen
augmenting fish production. Besides, the fishermen in in carrying out field trials under the actual conditions
Loktak lake fix porous feed bags containing broken would result in generating more useful information.
rice and rice bran in the area to attract fish in the early
stages of ‘phoom’ establishment. The following Acknowledgement
additional alternatives can be suggested to the fisher The authors are thankful to the fishermen
folk to increase fish production from FADs: community of Raha for providing valuable
 SHARMA et al.: FISH AGGREGATING METHODS PRACTICED IN NAGAON DISTRICT OF ASSAM, INDIA 117

information on the indigenous traditional fish 6 Nightingale Devi B, Mishra S K, Das L, Pawar N A &
aggregating device. The authors are also grateful to Chanu T I, Traditional fishing methods in Central valley
region of Manipur, India, Indian J Tradit Knowle, 12(1)
the Dr Kishore Kumar Baruah, Officer on Special (2013) 137-143.
Duty, College of Fisheries, Assam Agricultural 7 Dutta R & Bhattacharjya B K, An indigenous community
University, Raha, and former Director of NRC on fishing practice of Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh, Indian J
Yak, ICAR, Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh, for his Tradit Knowle, 7(4) (2008) 624-626.
8 Senanayak F R, The Athkotu (Brush Park) fishery of Sri
encouragement in undertaking this study. The authors Lanka, ICLARM News Letter 4,(1981) 20-21
are also thankful to all the colleagues for sharing their 9 Wahab M A, & Kibria M G, Katha and kua fisheries-
valuable knowledge and inputs during the course of usual fishing methods in Bangladesh, Aquaculture News,
the study. 18 (1994) 24.
10 Shankar K M, Mohan C V & Nandeesha M C, Promotion of
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