Indigenous fishing practices of the Monsang community in Manipur

Fishing is among humanity's oldest livelihood practices, shaped not only by the need for food but also by generations of observation, adaptation and ecological understanding. Across India's inland river systems, indigenous communities have developed fishing techniques that work with the rhythms of flowing water rather than against them.

In the hill streams of Manipur's Chandel district, the Monsang community continues to practise distinctive fishing methods using bamboo, branches, leaves, natural fibres and collective labour. These practices are examples of Indigenous Technical Knowledge, or ITK, developed through close interaction with local rivers and aquatic ecosystems over generations.

A recent open access study titled 'Indigenous fishing techniques and fish aggregating practices among the Monsang community in Chandel district of Manipur, India' authored by Maitarambum Wartung Monsang and others published in The Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, provides the first systematic documentation of these traditional fishing methods. The research highlights their ecological relevance, cultural significance and potential contribution to sustainable inland fisheries management.

Inland capture fisheries remain an important source of livelihood for millions of people across India. Traditional fishing communities use a wide variety of locally developed gears and methods that rely on renewable materials such as bamboo, cane and wood. These techniques are often designed around the natural behaviour of fish while maintaining relatively low environmental impact. Inland capture fisheries contribute up to 23 percent of India's freshwater fish production and support more than 23 million people engaged in fishing, processing, trade and the manufacture of fishing crafts and gear.

In North-east India, Manipur is recognised for its rich aquatic biodiversity, with 325 recorded fish species, including 142 food fish and 183 ornamental species. Inland fisheries contribute more than 30,000 tonnes of annual fish production in the state and continue to support communities whose lives remain closely connected to rivers and freshwater ecosystems. 

Chandel district, characterised by narrow valleys and steep river channels, is home to the Monsang community, one of the Naga sub-tribes. The community depends heavily on the Chakpi River for fishing, domestic water needs and agriculture. The river's seasonal flow patterns, influenced by an average annual rainfall of approximately 1,245 mm, determine fishing opportunities throughout the year. 

The researchers selected the villages of Japhou and Monsang Pantha because traditional fishing practices remain actively used in these communities. Information was collected through interviews with fishermen, fisherwomen, elders, traditional knowledge holders and village leaders, creating an important record of practices that have rarely been scientifically documented. 

Traditional fishing knowledge shaped by flowing water

The Monsang community has developed several fishing techniques suited to different river conditions. Some rely on the natural movement of fish towards food and shelter, while others use collective effort to guide fish through shallow streams into carefully designed traps. Three practices documented in the study demonstrate how traditional ecological knowledge is closely linked to river hydrology, seasonal water levels and fish behaviour.

Thingnharhuvuw: Creating a natural underwater shelter

Thingnharhuvuw is a traditional fishing practice widely used by the Monsang community in Japhou village. The method uses branches of the Konara oak, along with river red gum. These branches retain their foliage underwater for up to ten days, providing enough time for periphyton to develop on the submerged surfaces.

Periphyton is a complex mixture of algae, cyanobacteria, microbes and detritus that grows on submerged surfaces in aquatic ecosystems and becomes a food source for several aquatic organisms. Paddy straw or mustard straw is woven among the leaves to create a nutrient-rich environment that attracts fish that feed on this decomposing organic matter. In some cases, ripe guava is added as a natural bait. Medium-sized stones are placed inside the structure to keep the trap submerged, while a rope helps anchor it against mild river currents.

Fishers often place the trap in deeper pools or depressions within the riverbed where fish, shellfish and other bottom-dwelling aquatic organisms naturally gather. These areas have slower-flowing water, allowing aquatic animals to take shelter. The base of the branch is positioned facing upstream, and the trap remains completely submerged for seven to eight days. During this period, periphyton develops across the leaves and stems while decomposing straw releases organic compounds that attract fish, prawns and crabs.

To procure the trapped fish, fishers gently grasp the base of the branch and slowly pull it against the direction of the water flow. As the leaves fold inward, they create a natural enclosure that helps retain the fish and prevents them from escaping. The study records that this method effectively captures several native fish species, including Baril fish, Striped snakehead and Guntea loach.

Peh ethur: Fishing through collective effort 

Peh ethur is another traditional fishing practice of the Monsang community that helps in catching fish in flat and shallow stretches of a river. 

Unlike the stationary Thingnharhuvuw trap, Peh ethur is a coordinated group activity requiring four to five skilled participants. A locally made net known as Eentha, woven from natural fibres and attached to two long bamboo poles is used to catch fish.

One or two people hold each end of the Eentha while dragging it across the riverbed at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Another member carries a traditional fish container called a 'Ruhpeer', which is used to collect the harvested fish.

The remaining members position themselves opposite the net and gently agitate the water, encouraging fish to move towards the netted area. Fishing is carried out in the morning when shoals of fish rise to the surface of the water to bask in the sun. According to the study, a single Peh ethur operation usually yields between 1.5 and 3.5 kilograms of mixed fish.

Chiipin: Guiding water towards traditional traps 

The Chiipin, also referred to as the Chiiping, method is practised in shallow streams where water depth is generally between one and two feet. This technique uses temporary fences or barriers within water sources such as rivers and streams to slow the current and guide water towards bamboo traps known locally as Eruhs. Three different types of Eruh traps are used: the larger Luhchao and the smaller Luthang/ Luhsha, and Kapuruh.

The Luhchao and Luthang are placed in the central portion of the barrier and function together. The larger Luhchao has a wide opening that captures water and fish moving with the current from which the water flows into the smaller Luthang/Luhsha, where fish accumulate and are prevented from escaping.

The Kapuruh trap is placed near the riverbank. Its central opening faces downward towards the riverbed, allowing it to capture fish and prawns moving against the current. Its placement helps collect species with different swimming behaviours within the same fishing operation.

The practice of Chiipin is especially useful during the dry season, when lower water levels concentrate fish within shallow stretches of the river.

Why documenting indigenous fishing practices matters

Across many parts of India, traditional inland fisheries are increasingly under pressure from mechanised fishing, market-driven practices, habitat degradation, climate variability and the gradual erosion of indigenous knowledge.

The Monsang community's fishing practices demonstrate how local ecological understanding has evolved alongside river ecosystems. These methods are closely connected to seasonal water levels, river currents, fish behaviour and the availability of natural materials.

The study argues that systematic documentation of Indigenous Technical Knowledge is urgent, not only for preserving cultural identity but also for supporting sustainable fisheries management in biodiversity-rich yet environmentally vulnerable regions such as Northeast India.

Integrating traditional knowledge into fisheries management

The researchers emphasise that indigenous fishing knowledge should be considered alongside formal fisheries governance rather than remaining outside policy frameworks.

The study recommends community-monitored seasonal fishing closures and the integration of validated Indigenous technical knowledge into district-level fisheries planning through participatory governance. Such approaches could help maintain ecological integrity while safeguarding the livelihood security of hill stream fishing communities.

The authors highlight the need for:

• Formally recognising validated indigenous fishing techniques within district-level fisheries planning.

• Encouraging community-led regulation of mesh size, trap density and seasonal fishing closures based on local ecological indicators to conserve fish populations.

• Including indigenous fishers and elders in participatory monitoring programmes.

• Using Indigenous Technical Knowledge documentation as a baseline for adaptive co-management of hill stream fisheries across North-east India.

A living relationship between people and rivers

The fishing practices documented among the Monsang community are more than traditional techniques for catching fish. They represent generations of knowledge shaped by intimate observation of flowing water, seasonal rhythms, aquatic biodiversity and the behaviour of freshwater species.

From submerged leaf traps that create natural underwater habitats to cooperative fishing methods that rely on collective effort and carefully designed stream barriers that guide water and fish, each practice reflects a relationship between people and rivers that has evolved through experience.

As inland freshwater ecosystems face growing environmental pressures, documenting and understanding such indigenous practices offers an opportunity to preserve cultural heritage while strengthening conversations around sustainable fisheries and community participation in river management. For communities such as the Monsang, the Chakpi River remains not only a source of livelihood but also a living repository of ecological knowledge passed from one generation to the next.