Bunkai-An Indigenous Fishing Tackle to Catch Mud-Dwelling Eels

Fishing with bunkai or sikboroxi is one of the indigenous techniques of fishing developed by rural fisher community of the Brahmaputra valley, particularly in Lakhimpur and Morigaon districts of Assam. The present study analyses the gear specifications, Modus operandi and its applicability with season, habitat and species specificity. This method of fishing is selective for catching mud eels inhabiting the shallow pools, tanks and stagnant lentic wetlands (beels). The gear is made of a bamboo piece handle measuring 1.3–2.6 m in length and 1.0–1.7 cm girth diameter and a metal rod of 0.2–1.5 cm in length and 0.3–0.8 cm girth diameter. The gear is mostly operated during November to March when water of the lentic resources is mostly shallow. Average catch per unit effort (CPUE) of the gear was recorded to be 0.3–1.2 kg/hr/person. This technique of fishing is highly energy efficient and accounts with low investment. The fish harvested are mostly the mud eels viz., Mastacembelus armatus, Macrognathus aculeatus, Macrognathus pancalus, Macrognathus aral and occasionally Monopterus cuchia (kuchia). The fishes are utilized for self consumption and are seldom sold in the locality. This method is found as an innovative practice of harnessing natural water resources, selective in catch and have immense importance to the local rural community to meet their additional food supplement.