THE ‘OLI’ FISHING STAKE LINE

At times, one can gaze at the fishermen erecting fishing stakes to replace the worn out stakes in the ‘Olipad’, (‘Oli’ Fishing Stake Line). This was a fishing stake line that would stretch up to the center of the ‘Kayal’. At other times, the fishermen cast their nets during the day and / or night at some point in ‘Thakkom’ – this is a reasonable flow time of the water in the lake depending on the movement of the moon. The ‘Thakom’, lasts for six to seven days commencing from ‘Ekadasi’ of the Malayalam calendar. I have noticed that the fishermen hardly use any watch but they measured time by the movements of the moon. The fragile and delicate fish and a few predatory fish got trapped in the long funnel shaped net during the flow time. Once trapped in the net they found it difficult to escape. The fish that were caught include a variety of ‘Naran Chemmens, (Indian White Prawn), ‘Kanambu’ (Mullet), ‘Koori’ (Cat fish), ‘Kolan’ (Fresh Water Full Beak), ‘Mullen’(Bony fish), ‘Nandan’ (Glassy Perch Let), ’Kozhuva’ (White Bait), ‘Nutch’ (Spotted Butter Fish), Pranjeen (Filamented Silver biddy), ,’Orathal’, ‘Poolan’ (Goby), ‘Elachil’ (Oriental Sole), ‘Nangu’ (Malabar Tongue Sole). Fish caught during the early hours were frozen to keep them fresh.  Early the next morning the fish baskets laden with their booty are carried by the fisherwomen on their heads to the each and every house of their customers on the island. They might take it to Thevara or Ernakulum market as well. I remember them bartering it for rice, coconut, a few mangoes or a pineapple.

Fifty years ago, in the Vembanad Lake there was a variety of fish, and that too in large quantities. All the fishermen used to share fish from this common pool resource. As the population of fishermen and the consumers increased I noticed many more fishing stake-lines erected in front and back of the Oli Fishing Stake-line; some of which are illegally erected. The fishermen who used other varied nets to entangle fish have also increased considerably. All of them exploited the common pool resource to the maximum. This broke the natural system; consequently depleting the quantity of fish. It resulted in the spiraling cost of fish making it unaffordable for the common man.  The fish are not allowed to grow, breed, spawn and multiply in the Arabian Sea and Vembanad Lake due to the high demand. I am aware that shoal of fish would migrate from brine to brackish or fresh water and vice versa due to scarcity of food, weather conditions and spawning. Spawning migration takes place during breeding season. During the monsoon, I had noticed that the main catch used to be the ‘Chemmeen’ and sometimes ‘Chala’, Indian Oil Sardine, as well. This used to be part of the ‘Chakara’ in the nearby Arabian Sea which reaches the Vembanad ‘Kayal’ through the Cochin estuary for spawning. Likewise, shoal of fish such as ‘Attu-Konchu’, Giant Fresh Water Prawn and ‘Karimeen’, Pearl spot, would migrate from fresh water like Kuttanad region and other fresh water rivers to the brackish Vembanad ‘Kayal’ and that too gave us a good catch. I had noted that these giant river prawns and ‘Karimeen’ with its young ones take shelter among the aerial roots of ‘Kandal’ tree or in the granite bunds. The 1252 meter long “Thanneermukkom Salt Water Barrier” was constructed as a part of the Kuttanad Development Scheme to prevent tidal action and intrusion of salt water into the Kuttanad low-lands. It is the largest mud regulator in India. This barrier essentially divides the Vembanad Lake into two parts – northern portion with brackish water perennially and the southern part with fresh water fed by the rivers draining into the lake. This barrier has helped the farmers in Kuttanad by freeing the area of salinity and adding another crop in dry season. But the Barrier badly affected the ecosystem; it prevented the natural cleaning with salt water and it prevented the migration of shoal of fish from the salt water (Sea) into the fresh water (Kuttanad region), and vice-versa. The cutting and removal of ‘Kandal’ trees with aerial roots too contributed to the scarcity of fish. Pollution of the rivers, lakes and sea by the spillage of toxic effluence from factories and throwing garbage and other non-bio-degradable wastes are another reason for the depletion of fish. I suggest that the government and the Pollution Control Board should keep a vigil and take effective steps to control pollution, and the fishermen should restrain themselves from catching fish during breeding and spawning season. This provides enough time for the fish to grow and multiply naturally in the sea, backwater and rivers.

          I have noticed that the presence of African ‘Payal’ and ‘Katapa Payal’ (both algae) during the monsoon season and Jelly-fish during summer season in Vembanad Lake is a menace to the fishermen casting their nets. 

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com