Inland Fisheries

8.2.3.2 Gill Net and Drift Net

Gill nets are wall-like nets with floats attached to the head line rope and sinkers fixed, to the foot line rope. The mesh size varies with the size of the fish species to be caught. The net is set in transverse direction of the moving fish or fish shoal so that when the fish tries to cross the net wall, the head portion along the gill line gets entrapped. When the fish struggles to escape, it gets stuck up behind the opercle. Because of this entrapping at the gill line, the net has been assigned the name of gill net. They are also called drift nets as they drift vertically with the help of floats and sinkers. On the basis of setting, gill nets are of floating types, anchored type and staked type. Among drift nets, Chhandi jal is more popular.

Three types of gill nets are in common use. They are

i. Surface gill net

This gill net is generally meant for entrapping surface feeders among carps. Two types of surface gill nets are in use – one is the set type and the other is the drift type. The fishes caught are generally surface feeders such as some major carps.

ii. Column gill net

The basic form of this net resembles the surface gill net. The length of the float rope is however, kept such that the net remains suspended in mid column of water. This net is operational in deep water. The catches are generally major carps.

iii. Bottom gill net

The material used and mesh work design is the same as mentioned before for surface gill net, As the net is to be set at the bottom of water, additional sinker weights are attached to the foot rope and the marker buoys or floats, kept hanging on the surface of water are given increased length of the rope.