Chinese Fishing Net in Action
Cultural Identity and Economic Significance
Chinese fishing nets (cheena vala) are among the most recognisable symbols of Kochi, forming an integral part of the city’s visual identity. Their distinctive silhouette at sunrise and sunset has become synonymous with the waterfront, attracting photographers, artists, and travellers from around the world. More than just fishing equipment, they represent Kochi’s centuries-old links to maritime trade, cultural exchange, and innovation in coastal livelihoods.
Traditionally, the nets contributed to the local economy by providing a steady catch of small fish and prawns, which were sold fresh along the shore. While their role in commercial fishing has declined with the advent of mechanised trawlers, they still support small-scale fishers and generate income through tourism—visitors often pay to watch the nets in operation or to purchase freshly caught seafood on the spot.
Today, they serve as both a working fishing method and a living heritage attraction, linking the city’s economic past to its cultural present. Their continued presence reinforces Kochi’s identity as a historic port city shaped by global connections.
Chinese Fishing Nets
Across the years
Structure and Engineering
A Chinese fishing net is a shore-operated lift net mounted on a cantilever framework supported by sturdy vertical teak poles (valakutti) driven deep into the seabed. The platform (anthai) connects these uprights, creating a stable base for the pivot point (kalzanthy). From here, the main horizontal beam extends out over the water, supported by braces and counterweighted by large stones (kallu/kallukamba) suspended from ropes.
The fishing net itself is stretched across curved arms (karabrass), meeting at the top assembly (arolla) where additional lines (porathe brass) and support cables (savyam, edasavyam, aramassam) distribute the load evenly. The entire frame is traditionally built from teak for main supports, coconut wood for secondary braces, and bamboo for lighter members, combining strength with flexibility.
Operation relies on simple leverage: the counterweights are slightly lighter than the forward structure, so a crew of 4–6 fishermen can lower the net into the water for 10–15 minutes, then haul it back up by pulling the ropes attached to the apex. This design allows for efficient, repeated lifts, sometimes up to 80–90 cycles in a single tide, while creating the distinctive silhouette that defines Kochi’s waterfront.
While some parts have been replaced with metallic poles for durability, and certain nets use mechanized winches, the core engineering remains unchanged. Their distinctive silhouette and rhythmic operation have been a familiar sight along Kochi’s coastline for over 500 years.
The arrival of Chinese fishing nets (cheena vala) in Cochin is most often linked to the Ming treasure voyages (1405–1433), a series of grand maritime expeditions led by Admiral Zheng He under the Yongle Emperor. During the fifth voyage, Zheng He visited Cochin to confer imperial recognition on its ruler, Keyili, and secure the city’s protection against the Zamorin of Calicut. It is believed that these visits brought the cantilevered fishing nets, widely used in southern China, to Cochin between 1400 and 1450.
An alternative theory suggests that the Portuguese introduced the basic design from Macau in the 16th century, later adapting it to suit Cochin’s tidal conditions. This version is supported by the presence of Portuguese terminology in the names of various net components.
Regardless of their exact route to Kerala, these nets are found nowhere else in the world outside Kochi, its nearby islands, and backwaters. Over the past five centuries, they have evolved into both a practical fishing tool and a defining emblem of the city’s maritime identity.
The Chinese Fishing Net
Unique to Kochi’s waterfront, the Chinese Fishing Nets or Cheenavala are massive shore-operated cantilever structures that have become an enduring symbol of the city.Still in use today, they embody the region’s maritime heritage and remainone of its most photographed landmarks.
Parade
Ground
Map shows location of Chinese Fishing Nets along the Fort Cochin water front.
Fort Kochi Waterfront