Koli Fishing Community Heritage of Valsad's Coast

Valsad district's extensive Arabian Sea coastline is home to Koli fishing communities who have practised coastal and deep-sea fishing for centuries. The Koli (meaning fisherman in Gujarati) identity encompasses both coastal saltwater fishing and riverine freshwater fishing groups. Traditional fishing methods include the jhakti net (a square net lowered from bamboo poles for fish and shrimp), dalda jal (cast net), and bang jal (drag net) operated from wooden boats. Deep-sea fishing uses mechanised boats that travel up to 200 km offshore for pomfret, shark, shrimp, and tuna. Valsad's coastal villages have fish-processing traditions: dried bombil (Bombay duck) is a regional speciality prepared by sun-drying freshly caught fish on wooden frames on the beach. Pickled prawn (chingri achar) and fish-based condiments are made by Koli women for household use and commercial sale. Valsad's fishing industry supports thousands of families along the coastal talukas.