103-111A total of 26 traditional fishing practices in Nagaon
district of Central Assam were selected. Scientific rationality and adoption
among fishers regarding these ITKs were analysed and five ITKs were identified
as not rationale or unsustainable practices which should not be promoted. Then,
the perceived effectiveness of the remaining 21 selected ITK was analysed. Of
the 21 ITKs studied for effectiveness, 12 practices (46.15%) were rational and
effective. Of these, high mean PEI values were obtained by ITK 6, 12, 17 and 18
(MPEI score is 2.87, 2.68, 2.75 and 2.54, respectively) and stood as highly
effective (15.38 %). Five practices were adopted by more than 50% of the
farmers and except ITK-6 all these ITKs were perceived as highly effective,
implying that many indigenous practices were both rational as well as
effective. This calls for more scientific intervention to validate the
indigenous knowledge, which in turn would enrich our fisheries technology. Objective
of the study is to explore the logics of prevalent traditional fishing
practices among fishers of Nagaon district, central Assam