Flourishing trade of air bladders at Okha, Gujarat

The swim bladders of eels (Muraenesox talabonoides Bleeker), ghol (Protonibea diacanthus Lacepede) and koth (Otolithoides biauritus Cantor) are of best quality and fetch very high market price owing to the huge export demand. Fish air bladder is mainly used for making isinglass. Considerable quantity of eel, ghol and koth are landed at Okha by trawlers operating on the rocky bottom (18 m depth) off Jakhau. Around 500 trawlers having an overall length of 40 to 45 ft, powered with 80 - 105 HP engines are actively engaged in the fishing of eel, ghol and koth. The fishing trip lasts for 7 - 10 days with 4 - 6 hauls of 3 h duration per day depending on whether they fish during only day or both day and night. The trawlers carry on an average 10 to 12 nets having length of 35 - 40 m with cod end mesh size varying between 8 and 15 mm.