Mangaluru: A crab-catching trick from the village streams of yesteryear has resurfaced in a new avatar. Two farmers from Kokkada in Dakshina Kannada have redesigned the traditional bamboo crab trap, replacing bamboo with plastic to create a reusable model that can last for years.Dinesh Naik,45, a farmer, and Hemanth K,21, have recreated the traditional ‘koori’, a bamboo basket trap widely used in villages around 50 years ago to catch crabs in streams and small water channels.Naik said the method was once common in rural households. The mechanism is simple: Once a crab enters the trap, it cannot find its way out. Traditionally, members of local communities, including Koragas wove the baskets from bamboo, but the craftsmanship has declined over the years. “The technique belongs to earlier generations. We have only made alterations to suit current needs,” Naik said.Naik came up with the idea and design concept, and asked Hemanth to develop the model. To give the old trap a modern makeover, Hemanth replaced bamboo with plastic materials, including recycled two-litre soft drink bottles and plastic containers.Fish or chicken waste is placed inside as bait. Attracted by the bait, crabs enter the container and get trapped. Small fish, too, are sometimes caught in the process.Unlike its bamboo predecessor, the plastic version is durable and can last for five to 10 years if maintained properly. It also requires minimal investment, with only a plastic container, rope and a few basic materials needed to assemble the trap.Depending on crab availability, a single trap can catch around 10 to 20 crabs at a time, though the catch may sometimes be lower, Naik said.The reinvented ‘koori’ began attracting attention after videos and images of it were shared on social media. Enquiries and orders soon followed, not only from nearby areas, but also from Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts. “So far, we have received around 10 orders,” Hemanth said.
