Inland Fisheries

8.2.3.10 Traps

They are stationary nets and fishes are directed towards an enclosure through guarded entrance. Various types of traps are used for catching aquatic organisms. The following types are used in inland waters.

1. Pots: They are small traps designed to catch fish and shellfish. They are fabricated as small cages or baskets from locally available materials such as wood and wicker and also by using wire netting, metal rods, synthetic netting and reinforced plastic. Target organisms are enticed into the enclosure by bait or shelter spaces. They are provided with one or more entrances. The size, shape and position of the entrance are optimized for the target species.
2. Barriers (Barrage traps): Barriers like walls or dams made of stones, mud, netting or split bamboo pieces are used to trap fishes during low tides. In water where there are no currents, fences are provided to guide the fish into pockets. These are then removed by other gears. In rivers where there are strong currents, the fishes are guided on to a slanting screen of gratings constructed in the river and ascending in the direction of the current. The fishes are caught when the water disappears through the screen. The migrating fishes are best caught in a watched catching chamber, which is a large chamber open on three sides. These require constant watch so as to close the entrance as soon as the fish enters. This is normally done by pulling up the netting from the bottom thus trapping the fish. They are operated by small scale fishermen. Hilsa traps are operated below the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna.
3. Fish screens: Fish screens are of common use to enclose a selected water area of the river for fishing. Thin pieces of split bamboo are woven to form a sort of screen of generally 10 m length and 1 to 1.5 m height. Several such screens are joined together to surround as shallow tidal area at the time of high floods in the river. When the flood water recedes, several kinds of fish are left behind on the surrounded water area and these are easily collected by the lift net or properly handling a manicuring net. Generally carps, catfishes, and murrels are thus collected.