Design, Technical Aspects and Operation of Cast Net without Central Line and without Pockets of Ratnagiri, Maharashtra

The present study encompasses the traditional fishing method of cast net practiced in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. Cast net without central line and without pockets were made up of 3 to 6 panels joined together vertically by take up ratios to form main conical webbing. PA monofilament having diameter of 0.5 to 1.3 mm was commonly used for construction of main webbing of cast net. Two rows of selvedge meshes of PA multifilament of 210 D×3×3 were provided at bottom edge of the net. Selvedge was absent at the apex end of the net. For all panels of main webbing and for selvedge section, mesh size varied from 20 to 40 mm. At apex, all meshes were closed together and were tied to the pulling chord which was made up of PP twisted multifilament rope of 3 to 4 mm diameter and 4 to 7 m in length. For first three panels, joining of the panels was carried out by 1:2 ratio by making knot locally called as Vasan. From panel number 4 to 6 the ratio was maintained as 2:3. The total depth of net varied from 3 to 5 m. PP twisted multifilament rope of 18 to 26 m in length having diameter of 3 to 5 cm was used as sinker line to which oval shaped lead sinkers having 3 to 4 mm diameter and 180 to 225 in numbers were tied at 12 to 16 cm interval. The fish species harvested by the cast net were mullet, lady fish, silver biddies, glass fish, shrimp and crabs.