Contribution of floodplain wetland (beel) fisheries to livelihood and nutritional security of fishers in Eastern India

The floodplain wetlands or the oxbow lakes support millions of rural poor for earning their livelihood and nutritional security. The present study was conducted among the fisher households in two floodplain wetlands (locally known as beel) of West Bengal (Kholsi and Akaipur) and one in Assam (Deepor). One hundred fisher households from West Bengal and 80 fisher households from Assam were selected using simple random sampling method. The study indicated that the socio-economic conditions of the fisher households based on the level of education, operational holdings and off farm income were well below the desired level. Fishing was the major occupation of around 70% of the fishers of West Bengal and 90% of fishers of Assam. The fishery contributed more than 60% of the household income to 42% fishers of West Bengal and 90% of fishers of Assam. In Deepor Beel it was found that no fisher household received less than 40% of their livelihood from the beel. Further, the study showed that beel fishes were the only source of animal protein to more than 71% of the households of Deepor Beel. Similarly, more than 68% of households in West Bengal beels obtained animal proteins through fishes caught in the beel itself. For sustainable use of wetland resources and to ensure livelihood and food security, there is a need to design appropriate management strategies. Arrangement of supplementary livelihood options was prescribed for the fishers to reduce the fishing pressure on the wetlands.