When the primitive man – already surviving on fruits of the land – saw fish, he had to think of novel ways to snare this seafood. By using sticks with pointed ends to stun the fish and later basketry to trap it, man got a step closer to ensuring his meals had a generous portion of fish.One early method is porxevonni or porxevopp, which is used in Goa to date. It involves feeling the surface of the river bed in shallow waters to catch fish. This method comes with its own set of risks as a fish with a sting can be a tricky customer.Though Goans now see fish brought to them from high seas by trawlers, they still retain their expertise in catching fish the eco-friendly way. Despite mechanisation of fishing, the use of most traditional methods still continues in the state with some improvisation.For instance, the method of dipkavnni today sees high beam battery torches being used to disorient fish, which are then caught. A crude torch made with wood and cloth was used in ancient times. Later, the kerosene lamp took its place.An array of locally available materials are used with brilliance to catch fish in the nearby inlet or backwater. Similarly, nets and other equipment have been helpful in harvesting fish in deeper waters.During the monsoon fishing ban in Goa, this traditional knowledge is put to use to make up for the reduced fish supply. The monsoon also replenishes water bodies providing ample opportunity for the use of these methods.Today, fish caught by hand is considered superior by the local population.It is always a pleasant surprise when these tried and tested methods, using the bare minimum, reap a mixed variety of fish for your meal.Porxevonni/PorxevoppIt’s a very basic method of fishing with bare hands. In shallow waters at low tide, one or more persons muddy the waters with their hands and feet. The fish remains still and become easy picking. A variant to this is practiced near a retaining wall built between paddy fields and the water bodies nearby, to prevent saline water ingress. The stones of retaining walls serve as traps as fishermen muddy the water near these walls. These methods are risky due to sharp stone edges and prickly fish. Yet another method is to drop a net on the bed of shallow water body and catch the fish in the mud below itGorovopA crude method of angling, where a nylon string is tied to a wooden or bamboo stick. Hooks are then attached to the string. Hook size varies depending on the fish one hopes to catch. The bait also varies for different fish, like rice dough for pearl spot (locally known as kalundar)PolerIt is similar to angling, only minus the stick. The nylon string with a large hook and usually a big bait like a crab or a large prawn is thrown into the waters. This method aims to catch bigger variety of fishPoin/ManasThe sluice gates have flaps which can be removed or opened at high tide to allow tidal flow. At low tide, the gates are closed to trap fish in a restricted area, from where they are then harvestedKhutavanniThis is also called stake fishing as wooden poles are erected in the water and a net is tied to them so it runs across the breadth of the water body. At low tide, fishermen harvest the fishKanni/ZaaliTwo pieces of bamboo are tied on either side of a rectangular net. Holding the bamboos vertically on either side, two fishermen move in shallow water like sluice gates. The net sweeps across the bed of the waterbody and is then hauled up, catching fish. In Salcete, fishermen use a bigger net called orbol and more men help in pulling it in a deeper water body like a pond. Another similar net of semi-circular shape with a bamboo frame is known as zaali. It would help catch shrimps in shallow waters with a backward action over muddy stretchesKaathalli/PaguerThe method involves a 200 to 300m-long net with small floats attached across the length of the net on one side. The net is laid straight across the breadth of the water body, where the floats allow the net to fall like a screen, trapping fish. The paguer is another type of net that can be cast by a single person and hauled up with the catchFishermen venture into the waters with a wooden canoe and a large net. The canoe is rowed to place the net in a circular fashion in the waters covering a significantly large area. Once the net dips into the water, it is pulled out slowly by the men to gather fishHarvesting of Clams/OystersFishermen venture into the waters with a canoe and dive in the water to gather clams from the bed by hand. For oysters, the rock surfaces on river banks and seashore is chipped with a sharp metal objectJhaariThis is a special equipment used to catch crabs. A circular metal frame is lined with a nylon net. It is also called kobulem. The metal frame settles on the river bed, keeping the net at a single level. Several dozens of jhaari are laid at a time, 50m apart. The jhaari is tied to a string and secured to some object on the banks. When the string moves, it indicates the crab’s presence and the time to pull out the nets. There is a simpler variant of this. A basket of coconut leaf fronds tied to the end of a bamboo stick with dry mackerel for the crab. This method is usually adopted for shallow watersDipkavnniBright artificial lights, ranging from paraffin lamps to kerosene ones and now high beam torches, are used in shallow waters. The light disorients the fish making it easy to collect them in a traditional handheld net with a circular frame made of bamboo. At times, a knife or a blunt weapon is also used to stun the fish

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