Chinese fishing nets

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chinese fishing nets ( Malayalam : ചീനവല, cīnavala, also Anglicized "Cheena Vala") are called stationary fishing devices for fish and other marine animals in India , especially on the southwest coast , which are considered typical and landmarks for this region , as tourist attractions and enjoy great popularity as photo motifs and are featured in tourism advertising and travel guides.

A Chinese fishing net before being submerged in the water

distribution

Fishing devices of this type are mainly found on the seashore of southern China and Indochina, while in India they are mainly used in the area of ​​the cities of Kochi and Kollam . According to various traditions, they were brought to India by envoys of the Chinese emperor Kublai Khan (1215–1294) or by the Chinese admiral Zheng He (1371–1433 or 1335).

Technology and operation

The official designation of these safety gears is "coastal-operated stationary lift nets" (English: "Shore-operated Stationary Lift Nets").

Large mechanical devices made of wooden poles hold horizontal nets 20 meters or more in diameter. Each structure is at least 10 meters high and consists of a cantilever arm with a horizontally spread net suspended from it that hangs over the sea. Heavy stones are hung on ropes at the other end as counterweights. Each rig is operated by a team of up to six fishermen.

The system is balanced so that the weight of a man walking on the main beam is enough to lower the net into the sea. The net remains underwater for a short time, sometimes just a few minutes, before it is lifted by pulling on the ropes. Each catch usually only consists of a few fish and crustaceans, but they can be sold to passers-by within minutes without much effort.

Heavy stones with a diameter of about 30 centimeters hang on ropes of different lengths. When the net is raised, one stone after another comes to rest on a platform, keeping everything in balance.

Each device has a limited depth of use. A single network therefore cannot operate continuously in tidal waters . Different systems are used depending on the tide.

Present and Future

The Chinese fishing nets have become a very popular tourist attraction. The tourists can watch the operation of the nets and buy the catches one by one. After the purchase, customers can take the catch to a street vendor who will prepare it on site (“catch 'n cook”).

In Kochi, the seafood restaurant "Cheenavala" is named after the Chinese fishing nets.

A newspaper report from May 2015 reports that these fishing nets are threatened by increasing silting up of the apron. Many nets stand over sand and are no longer operational. They would have to be dismantled. According to a report from April 2018, the operation of the fishing nets is under severe economic pressure. Fishermen complain about the high operating costs and the low income. Public support to maintain the tourist attraction is not given. The fishermen working on these nets are organized in the "Kochi Chinese Net Owners' Association". In spring 2018 there are still 12 of these fishing nets in Fort Kochi and eight in Vypeen, an island opposite.

According to newspaper reports, talks with representatives of the Chinese government began as early as 2014. The Chinese made the proposal to restore the nets and the associated beach promenade in Fort Kochi on their own on the occasion of a visit by their president. The local fishermen resisted a restoration without their own say. It was not until the summer of 2018 that the Kerala government set up a commission to deal with the issue.

Web links

Single receipts

  1. ↑ Fishing Gear Types: Shore-operated Stationary Lift Nets . United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
  2. ↑ Fishing Gear. Surrounding nets . In: Profish.com (English).