Vichuvalai. 



Nuluvalai. 



Muduvalai. 



62 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XV, 



(d) Hook and line — either alone or combined with spearing. 

 Practised in the deeper waters of the lagoon but mostly and very 

 skilfully in the sea along with harpooning. 



Nets. — The names in vernacular of the nets in use are — 

 Kandalivalai. 

 Adivalai. 

 Koruvalai. 



A description of Kandalivalai, Adivalai, Koruvalai and Vichu- 

 valai is given by Mr. Hornell in Madras Fisheries Bulletin No. 4, 

 pages III-I2, 119-20, and, except recording more measurements of 

 these nets in the various islands, nothing particular can be added 

 to the information already in print. The average measurement of 

 a Kandalivalai is from 120 to 200 feet long and 8 to 12 feet wide 

 according to the depth of the home lagoon ; the price may be 

 put, according to the fishermen's quotation, at Rs. 50 to Rs. 60. 



Nuluvalai. — A net of this name was shown to me in Kavarti. 

 It is exactly like the Kandalivalai. It is nine fathoms long with a 

 smaller mesh (%") and with small coral stone weights attached, 5 

 per fathom. This is used solely for catching small fish in the 

 lagoons. 



Muduvalai. — This is a small net, shown in Kiltan Island, 

 conical in shape and measuring 15 feet in circumference at the 

 bottom, 6 feet deep and 3 feet wide at the short end. During low 

 tides it is dragged in such a way that the net is brought over 

 the small boulders of rocks within the lagoon. The small fish 

 sheltering among the clumps of coral stones are thus captured. 



Traps. — A photograph of one with a short description is given 

 in the Madras Fisheries Bulletin No. 4, page 113. They are heart- 

 shaped in form and their sizes vary from 5 to 10 feet long, 3 to 6 

 feet wide and 2 to 4 feet high. At Kavarti larger and capacious 

 ones are found and are very strong in construction. The number 

 in use is larger in some islands (e.g., Chetlat and Kavarti) probably 

 on account of the difficulty of going to ssa. These traps are laid 

 close to the place where the surf breaks on the reefs. No bait is 

 used. They are in use generally between June and December 

 (often only up to October, as I noticed many of them not in use and 

 stored on the beach) and various kinds of fish are caught including 

 dogfishes. 



Harpooning. — The art of capturing fish by this means is very 

 skilfully practised in all the islands. The harpoon poles are made 



