**Indigenous knowledge of fishing**

In early times the fishes were seen at the water surface.[[Fish shoals]] are locally termed as [[meenpaadam]][[meenpulappu]] by local fishermen. In traditional practice, fishermen can identify fish shoals from a distance by eye sight.Traditionally fish shoals were identified by [[ocean colour]], [[waves currents]],[[ bubbles]], [[jumping of fish]] or flocks of birds hovering over the shoal etc. From the movement of water and colour of the sea, fishermen can guess the type of fish and their characteristics. Fish shoal was mainly detected by colour of the water. Presence of dark patches in the water with ripples ,bubbles etc. 

Sound of the fish is an indicator for identifying the fish

[[Sound of Catfish]]