Fishing crafts are most essential for catching the fish in large scale in water bodies. A large variety of crafts (boats) have been designed for marine and inland fishing in India. The types of fishing crafts of India falls under two general categories. These are Non –mechanized and mechanized fishing crafts. Based on the topographical variations and difference in habits and habitats of fishing, different types of crafts and gears are used in various inland water system of India. The simplest and most primitive types of craft used for fishing in inland water are the rafts and songas, operated in calm water. In the larger rivers and estuaries subject to strong current and tidal movement, sturdier plank boats are used. Definition Fishing vessel is a floating device used for fishing activities like, fishing, fish transportation, Research and training purpose.

1. Ashish sahu
COLLEGE OF FISHERIES
Seminar on
Traditional fishing craft of India

2. content
Introduction
Definition
Development of fishing craft.
Terminology of fishing craft.
Classification of fishing craft.
Traditional fishing craft of India.
Fishing craft of Indian reservoirs.
Reference

3. Introduction
 Fishing craft are most essential for catching the fish in large scale
in water bodies
 A large variety of crafts (boats) have been designed for marine
and inland fishing in India.
Catamaran is from a Tamil word kattumaram
Kattu means- Binding ,maram means-Wood
This is mostly used for fishing in river and reservoirs ,catamaran
is primitive type for craft
.

4. Definition
Fishing vessel is a floating device used for fishing activities like, fishing, fish
transportation, Research and training purpose.
Development of fishing Craft
 .18th century use in wood boat ( Britain )
 1878 -first steel boat
 1890 -use in aluminum boat ( France)
 1940- Ferro cement fishing vessel ( France )
 1968- FRP use in India
 It consists of several tree trunks tied together with strings. This type of boat is
called “CATAMARAN

5. Limitation of indigenous craft
 Cannot possible for go to deep water
 It is not possible to catch large quantities of fish
 It increases the cost of fish
 Propulsion by wind or oar – speed is less
 Limited carrying capacity
 Requires good weather conditions
 No proper preservation facilities
 No facilities for crews for cooking and sleeping etc.

6. Powers used for the propulsion of fishing craft
 Manual power
 Wing power
 Mechanical power
Advantages of mechanized craft
 Mechanical propulsion – Higher speed, shorter time to reach the
fishing grounds.
 Fish holds with preservation facilities.
 There will be safety and good working environment.
 Possibilities of bulk catching

8.  Moulded base line - A horizontal fore and aft reference line for vertical measurements.
 Sterm - Forwart end of the ship which is connected at the lower end of the keel.
 Stern - After end of the ship the farthest distant part from the stem.
 Length over all - Extreme length of a vessel measured from the foremost point of stem to the
aftermost point of the stern.
 Length between perpendicular(LBP)- This is the horizontal distance between the forward
and aft perpendiculars.
 Waterline- A term used to describe a line drawn parallel to the moulded baseline and at a
certain height above it.
 Depth- this is the vertical distance between the moulded base line and top of the beams of
uppermost continuous deck.
 Breadth –side to side measurement of a vessel at any given place .
 Keel :- A centre line strength members running fore and aft along the bottom of ship and
often referred to as the backbone
 Sheer: This is the curvature given to the decks in the longitudinal direction .
 Beam ;- Width of the ship at the widest point .

10. Traditional fishing crafts of India
Fishing boats of Gujarat
1 - Haler machwa
Length varies from 8-10 m
Open boat except for short decking in the fore and aft.
Tall mast carries on large lateen sail of Arab pattern
It is used for gillnet fishing.
Location jamnagar district
-
Haler machwa
4 - Dugout canoe
Double – ended round bottom boat
Length varies from 5-9 m, breadth 60-90 cm and depth 60-68
cm
Small sail raised on a wooden mast
Used for gill netting
Ended boat
Stern
Keel Stem
Bow
Deck
Hull

11. 2 - Porbandar machwa
Length varies from 6-8 m
Square stern and raked stem
Used for gill net fishing
o jamnagar location
3 - Cambay machwa
Raked stern
Undecked except for short length
at stern
Truncated stern with a slight rake
Location in Gulf of Cambay Cambay machwa
Bow
Hull
Keel
Stem
Stern
Rope

12. Fishing boats of Maharashtra
1 Bombay machwa (Karanja boat)
Length 15 m, breadth 3-5 m and depth 1 m
. The actual keel is short in relation to the overall length.
There are two masts, sails are of lateen type.
Bombay machwa
2- Versova boat (Hoda)
Arched keel, round stern and deep fore foot
Aft deck is present but no fore deck
Used for operation of dol nets.
- Versova boat
Deck
Water line
Stem
Stern
Bow
Stem
Boom
Hull
Portside Stern

13. .3 - Rathnagiri machwa
Length 10 m, breadth 3 m and depth 1.15 m
Broad beam, long over hanging bow, round
stern and raked stem post
Open boat with low free board, single mast
lateen sail
Used for deep sea gill net fishing
Rathnagiri machwa
Bow
Hull
Water line
Mast
Stern
Stem
Rope
Boom

14. 4. Rampini boat
Length about 16 m
Narrow keel, stem and stern
No mast is carried as the boat is rowed
Used for operation of Rampini nets
Rampini boat
Fishing boats of Goa
 The traditional fishing craft of Goa are dugout
canoes and planked boats with large out riggers.
 There is a rudimentary keel in the dugouts. The size
of the boat varies from 7-8 m.
Stern
Hull
Stem
Portside

15. Fishing boats of Karnataka
Rampini boats are popular in Northern Karnataka and dugout in Southern Karnataka.
Fishing boats of Kerala
Dugout
Plank built canoe
Raft Catamaran
Raft catamaran (Chalatadi)
It is constructed by tying 3-5 logs of soft wood with
coir ropes
Propelled by split bamboo oars and sails
Used in pairs to operate boat seines and individually
to operate gill nets and long lines
Raft catamaran
Wood
Logs

16. Fishing boats of Tamil Nadu
1 - Boat catamaran
It is made of three logs, the centre one fitted at a lower level than the other two giving it a boat
The logs are held by means of two blocks of wood on either end and secured by coir ropes
Size varies from 6.5 – 7.5 m
Small triangular sail is used
Normally operated in pairs for boat seiners
Boat catamaran
Bow
Stem
Sail
Hull Stern

17. Fishing boats of Orissa
1 - Bar boat
It measured 8 m long and 2.5 m broad
Similar to masula type
No ribs or frames and planks are stitched with coir
ropes
Bar boat
Half decked
Sail
Bow
Water line

18. Fishing boats of West Bengal
1 - Batchari boat
It measures 13.5 m x 1.3 m x 0.5 m
They are partly decked without keel
Propelled by sails and oars
Used for drift net, bag net, dip net etc. Batchari boat
2 - Chot boat
It measures 10.2 x 2.5 x 1.1 m
Mostly propelled by oars though it carries a sprit sail
There is only a loose decking of split bamboo rods
Used for seine nets and bag nets
Rope
Sail
Stern
Hull
Keel
Bow
Chot boat
Bow
Stern
Hull
Keel

19. Fishing boats of Lakshadweep Islands
1 - Raft (Kathufathi)
5-6 logs are tied into raft by means of two coconut
poles and fastened by coir ropes
Propulsion is by paddles
Used for hook and line operation.
Fishing craft of Uttar Pradesh
1 - Tin boats
Size range from 3.5m-6.0 m.
Flat bottom
Common in the reservoirs of Uttar Pradesh ,Bihar
and Rajasthan
Raft (Kathufathi)
Tin boats
Oar
Hull Hook
Bamboo
Log

20. Fishing craft of Indian reservoirs
Coracle -
These are dominant in the reservoirs of south India like Tungabhadra
(Karnataka) Mettur (Tamil Nadu ) and Nagarjuna Sagar (Andhra Pradesh )
their main features are
Large wide mouthed circular flat bottomed basket .
It measures about 4 meter in diameter
at the mouth the bottom being smaller
Use for operation of gill nets,
shore seines and long lines.
C-oracle
Oars
Rope
Wood

21. Inflated rubber tubes
Thry are found in operation in
Hussain Sagar reservoirs and
reservoir of Bhilwara district of
Rajasthan,
Dugouts
Small dugout canoes are operated
in the reservoirs Madhya Pradesh
,Tamil Nadu, Bihar , Manipur and
Tripura
Inflated rubber tubes
Hook
Inside rubber

22. Reference
 Fishing gear and craft technology (Y. Sree krishna and Latha Shenoy )
page No. (148-181)
 Fisheries and aquatic resources in India By (Dr. A.D. Dholakia )
page No. 358 – 380 Publication Date 1Jan 2004
 An Introduction to fishes by – Dr. S.S. Khanna , Dr. Neerja Kapoor
Fifth edition Page No. 461 -462 Fifth Edition
 vikaspedia.in fisheries craft image Download