Kairampani – The Traditional Shore Seine Fishing of Karnataka

Abstract

Kairampani, the traditional shore seine of coastal Karnataka in South India, is an effective indigenous fi shing operation, still practiced along coastal Karnataka. A larger version of this shore seine, namely Rampani has become obsolete with the advent of mechanization in craft and gear. The following study on the use of the mini shore seine, which is on the verge of extinction, revealed that Kairampani is now being used sporadically across coastal Karnataka and the number has dwindled to few units from hundreds during ancient times. It is used mainly during the monsoon months of June–August. It is a labor-intensive operation involving 40–50 fi shermen pulling the nets from the shore with their hands, as the dhoni (a traditional boat), with its crew fi shes at sea with the encircling nets. Hence the name “Kairampani” where ‘kai’ in the local Tulu dialect has dual meaning, i.e., ‘hand’ or ‘small’. The Kairampani catch mainly consists of prawns (Metapenaeus dobsonii, Parapenopsis stylifera), sciaenids (Johnius glaucus, Otolithes ruber), Lactarius lactarius, soles (Cynoglossus cynoglossus), mackerels, and sardines. Though the rapid mechanization of crafts and gears have phased out traditional fi shing operations such as Kairampani, these traditional methods nevertheless are being used sporadically in certain parts of coastal Karnataka during the monsoon season when there is mechanized ban and ensure fresh quality of fi sh at a higher price during the lean season.