Dol netting is one of the major fishing methods used
mainly by traditional fishermen of Maharashtra. Study of catch
composition of dol nets operated in Karanja Estuary of Raigad
district, Maharashtra was carried out during September 2016 -
May 2017. A total of ten single-day dol-netters were selected for
the purpose of this study. Fortnightly on-board sampling and
questionnaire-based sampling were carried out to fulfil the
objectives of the study. The number of fishing days per month
ranged from 12-16 due to tide-based restrictions. Dol net catch
comprised 50 species of fin fishes, 3 species of elasmobranchs,
13 species of shrimps, 10 species of crabs, 5 species of
cephalopods, 2 species of jellyfish, 4 species of sea snakes, 1
species of lobster and 2 species of stomatopods. Major catch
composition of dol nets recorded during the study included
Acetes indicus, Arius maculatus, Charybdis callianassa ,
Chrysaora Caliparea, Coilia dussumieri , Harpadon nehereus ,
Lepturacanthus savala , Miyakella nepa, Mystus gulio and
Parapenaeopsis sculptilis. Significant discards such as jellyfishes,
juveniles of several fishes and plastics were recorded in the dol
nets operated in the Karanja estuar
