Bumper catch in heavy rain

People of Alady cast nets for a bountiful catch in the Periyar

Local people fishing in the flowing waters of the Periyar at Alady, near Upputhara, in Idukki district

Fishing is a risky affair here. But lucky ones may net a catla weighing over 35 kg or gold fish over 20 kg.

Fishing is a seasonal activity and the local people move adventurously across the flowing waters with nets. As the water inflow into the Periyar rises, fish from the Idukki reservoir move upstream crossing the waterfalls in search of flowing waters.

The local people cast their nets there to catch them. A festival mood prevails and the river will turn a beehive of activity with local fishermen.

“Not all days are congenial for fishing. We know the movement of the fish upstream and nets are cast focussing on the movements,” says Kannan, a local resident. Usually, it is after heavy rains when the water inflow increases steadily.

The other fish species netted are kanambu, cherumeen, tilapia, and mlanjil (malanjil).

Tilapia, a hybrid variety introduced in the Idukki dam, is the major catch. The introduction of tilapia in the dam by the Fisheries Department had drawn criticism as it was said to be the reason for the disappearance of the local fish species. It is believed that the Periyar had lost some of its endemic fish varieties.

The fish varieties caught now are bigger in size and had been introduced in the Idukki reservoir. Alady and adjoining areas are between the two reservoirs on the Periyar - Mullaperiyar and Idukki dam.

George Mathirapally, a resident of Ayyappancoil, said malanjil was mostly caught during the northeast monsoon. He said a major fish variety baral had disappeared from the river, which he blamed on an infectious disease a decade ago.

He said musheer, kaari, aaravan, kuil, and katti were the other important local fish varieties. Kaari was rarely seen and the musheer population too had fallen considerably. Aaravan too was not being caught now while kuil was not to be seen and katti catch was few and far in between.

This was in addition to a number of small fish varieties caught by the tribespeople. Though they fish in the reservoir area, the fish moving upstream are netted by the local people.

The occurrence of endemic species downstream of the Mullaperiyar dam has fallen as the dam waters had not been released into the river for long.

It is estimated that the Mullaperiyar dam hosts nearly 40 endemic fish species that includes musheer, Periyar Trout, Periyar Lattia, Periyar Barb, Channa Barb, and Travancore Loach.