TRADITIONAL FISHING PRACTICES FOLLOWED IN EXPLOITATION OF FLYING FISHES ALONG NAGAPATTINAM COAST

Flying fish fishery was found to be an important commercial fishery of Nagapattinam district due to its significant catching trend. The survey was taken with small sample size and gathered the information behind this successful targeted fishing operation. The present study was conducted to acquire traditional knowledge undertaken by the fishermen for catching flying fishes from this coast. It was observed that, it was entirely seasonal based fishery and around 98% of flying fishes were caught at April to July months without the contribution of other fish groups. The gill net with mesh size of 31 mm & 41 mm was used for small sized & large sized flying fishes respectively. In the traditional method, "Kacha" a type of scoop net and a drifting type of FAD, "Kavalangchi poondu" was found to be used along Nagapattinam coast for the exploitation of flying fishes.

Tamil Nadu has fishermen population of 1.05 million of which 0.20 million fishermen are actively engaged in fishing from 591 marine fishing villages scattered along 13 coastal district. Nagapattinam is one of the coastal district of Tamil Nadu which mainly involved in the fishing activities as their chief livelihood option. They have been targeted many fish groups in which the seasonal abundance of flying fishes played a major role in their fishing pattern. Flying fishes are epipelagic in nature and their distribution has been determined by Sea Surface Temperature at around 25°C.  The seasonal abundance of flying fishes was reported during the period from April to July (summer season). Around 98% of flying fishes were caught at that particular season without the contribution of other groups.

There were two types of gears operated to catch flying fishes namely, gill net and traditional gear. Now a days, two different mesh sized gill nets are being operated to utilize these fishery resources by 10 HP OBM containing FRP boats. The gill net with mesh size of 31 mm was used for exploiting small sized flying fishes whereas 41 mm mesh sized net operated for large size fishes (given in figure 1C &1D). In case of traditional fishing methods, the catamaran was employed during the operation by using one type of scoop net, locally known as "Kacha" consist of two handles (given in figure 1B). Some of the fishermen were used both gill net and Kacha to increase the catch. Mostly, the drifting type of Fish Aggregating Devices, locally called as "Kavalangchi poondu" has been employed to intensify the catching efficiency of flying fishes which enhances the fishes to come towards the pelagic water for sheltering and laying eggs.

An average of 4 gears were operated from a single boat per day. Fishing operation been done in the well-lighted and warm epipelagic zone with the depth range of 15-100 fathom. The fishing ground has been identified by fishers with their traditional knowledge of understanding wind and water current pattern. They have classified four types of wind pattern each day based on their direction, that are locally known as Katchan kaathu, Vaadai kaathu, Kodai kaathu, and Kondal kaathu. Among this, Kodai kaathu is the heavy speed wind pattern from west to east direction, occurred at morning time (3.00 am-9.00 am) along the Nagapattinam coast that mainly influenced the fishery of flying fishes. This flying fish fishery was entirely based on the traditional knowledge of fishers and their experience.