Traditional Fishing Gears and Craft of Dal Lake: Insights into Indigenous Fishing Practices in the Kashmir Valley, India

The present study documents indigenous fishing gear and crafts traditionally used in Dal Lake, the Kashmir Himalaya, with emphasis on their design, specifications, and operational features. A variety of gears, including the cast net, gill net, pole-and-line (Bislia), hook-and-line, multiple-head spear, and double-pronged spear, were systematically described and standardized in terms of dimensions, materials, mesh sizes, and target species. Cast nets, identified as the dominant lacustrine gear across the valley, are primarily used to capture Cyprinids such as Schizothorax spp. and Cyprinus carpio. Gill nets (Patij) and pole & line (Bislia) also play a crucial role in selective fishing, targeting commercially important species. Spears and other traditional gears highlight the adaptive strategies of local fishers in shallow, weedy zones of the lake. Traditional crafts (Naav), largely plank-built from durable deodar wood, remain the primary means of operating gear and transporting fish. This study provides baseline technical specifications of the gears and crafts, reflecting the ecological adaptation and socio-cultural heritage of Dal Lake fishers and serving as an important reference for sustainable fisheries management, the conservation of indigenous practices, and future aquaculture engineering innovations in the Himalayan region.