Fisheries

Featured Articles
December 4, 2022 What is the status of inland fisheries in India? Read these situational analysis reports to know about inland fisheries, the life of the fisherfolk, governance and tenure in inland fisheries and threats to the sustainability of inland fisheries.
Fishing in an irrigation canal in Kerala (Image Source: Martin Pilkinton via Wikimedia Commons)
October 30, 2022 This book by Dr. Mitul Baruah presents a fascinating, ethnographic account of the challenges faced by communities living in Majuli, India, one of the largest river islands in the world, which has experienced immense socio-environmental transformations over the years, processes that are emblematic of the Brahmaputra Valley as a whole. This is an excerpt from the book.
Floods are recurrent phenomena in Assam (Image: Mitul Baruah)
August 21, 2022 Floods are not feared, but rather welcomed by the Mishing communities from Majuli island in Assam as they bring bountiful fish- a rich source of food, nutrition and livelihood for the community.
The Majuli island, a haven for fish (Image Source: Usha Dewani, India Water Portal)
May 8, 2022 The mighty Ganga is gradually becoming a death trap, not only for people, but also for the wonderous animals that live in its waters and depend on her for their survival. How has this happened?
The poisoned Ganges (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
September 1, 2021 The experience of the Foundation for Ecological Security in tribal Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
Fish harvesting by Changariya fishing cooperative, Mandla, Madhya Pradesh (Image: Foundation for Ecological Security)
April 8, 2021 The village institution collectively framed rules for the governance and management of these water commons
The efforts have resulted in the revival of the ponds. (Image: FES)
Tribals of Tawa reservoir left leader-less
Sunil Bhai, who fought for the rights of the tribals and other displaced people of the Tawa reservoir in Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, is no more but the initiative he kick started remains. Posted on 07 May, 2014 11:19 AM

Tawa reservoir in Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, irrigates several thousand hectares of land. It is here that Sunil Gupta, popularly known as Sunil Bhai, rose to prominence in 1995 when he led the struggle of the tribals displaced by the reservoir.

Sunil Bhai; Source: Samarendra
From farming to fishing: The journey of the tribals of Dhimbe
The many tribals who were displaced by the Dhimbe dam lost their land but not their livelihoods. They took up cage fish farming and figured out an alternate form of cultivation. Posted on 04 May, 2014 09:10 PM

Dimbhe dam is located near the tourist spot of Bhimashankar in Maharashtra. With a capacity of 13.5 million cubic meters, the dam displaced 1253 families, submerged 11 villages and partiallly affected another 13 villages when it was completed in 2000.

Cage farming at Dhimbe dam, Maharashtra
More power, but no water security to MP and Gujarat
News this week: Upcoming elections pose risk to water security of MP and Gujarat; No action taken by MoEF against illegal Garudeshwar dam in Gujarat; Karur's farmers to exercise NOTA. Posted on 22 Apr, 2014 11:10 PM

More power, but no water security to MP and Gujarat, observes SANDRP

Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat (Source: Wikimedia)
Applications invited for the post of 'Project Fellow', Bhandara Nisarg Va Sanskriti Mandal, Bhandara, Maharashtra
Bhandara Nisarg Va Sanskriti Mandal is looking for a Project Fellow to work on conversation and sustainable use of freshwater fish species in Bhandara and Gondia district, Maharashtra.
Posted on 18 Apr, 2014 02:44 PM

Required qualifications:

Fishing for shrimp in Haryana’s farmlands
Saline waters left Rohtak's farmlands fallow. After some research by local organisations, the farmers who were into agriculture, could soon move into aquaculture! Posted on 05 Apr, 2014 01:08 PM

Mile after mile of saline lands line the Delhi-Rohtak-Bhiwani stretch of the highway. Here, the land wasn't always saline, it became that way thanks to canal irrigation. Farmers have used extensive surface water, which has led to an increase in groundwater levels. This leads to the twin problem of waterlogging and salinity.

Tiger shrimp production at Rohtak; Source: CIFE
Deepor beel: Entangled in a net of dangers
Banning fishing in the beel has not only affected the sustenance of the Keot fishing community in Guwahati but it is also threatening the beel's very existence. Posted on 25 Mar, 2014 08:52 PM

“Posua botah”, he said. “The wind is blowing from the west now so we cannot take you to the beel to show you how we catch fish. This wind cleans the water and we won’t get fish. 'Bhatial botah', when the wind blows from the east, the water turns muddy and the fish come up to the surface to breathe. That’s the best time to fish”, he explained.

Deepor Beel awaits a fresh gush of life
Barter by the beel
The centuries old Jon beel mela in Assam has a unique ritual- a barter between the tribes of the nearby hills and plains. Will urbanisation let the historic festival thrive? Posted on 25 Mar, 2014 08:33 PM

This was my first time here. I had heard of this festival, perhaps the only existing one in India, where barter takes place at such a scale. Jon Beel mela in Jon Beel, Jagiroad Assam- a historic festival where people from the hills and plains come together for a unique exchange of goods and agricultural produce near a moon-shaped wetland.

Eatables laid out for exchange at Jon beel mela
Their land lost to a dam, 2,000 farmers take to fishing -- in cages
The rush for caged fish culture of one variety has created a glut in the market, crashing prices. How will the farmer-fishermen cope? Posted on 25 Mar, 2014 08:28 PM

The Chandil dam reservoir is located 30 kms from Jamshedpur on the Subernarekha river in Jharkhand. While this dam is a 'tourist hotspot', its construction has resulted in the displacement of more than 20,000 families from 116 surrounding villages. “We lost our farmlands because of the project and now, to support our families, we have to take any job available", says Narayan Gope. 

Modular cages used for cage culture in Chandil
Kolkata's grossly undervalued natural sewage management system
The benefits of the East Kolkata Wetlands are known to all in the state but the greed for land and lax penalties are destroying this Wetland of International Importance. Posted on 16 Mar, 2014 10:34 PM

The city of Kolkata is blessed to have its very own natural urban wastewater treatment system in the form of the East Kolkata Wetlands.

Fish rearing on wastewater, East Kolkata Wetlands
Sikkim achieves 100% sanitation under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan scheme
News this week: Sikkim achieves 100% sanitation; Govt has only 2 months to cover 54.4% of rural India in its drinking water scheme; Maharashtra village gets community rights over dam reservoir. Posted on 17 Feb, 2014 02:21 PM

Sikkim achieves 100% sanitation

Sustainable sanitation
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