610
Bundh
FA (ha)
MO
WL (m)
Kurerkata
15.05
Dec–Mar
0.25–1.50
Kanagajar
50.00
Oct–Dec
1.50–3.00
Baroitila
105.90
Nov–Apr
0.10–2.00
Vashankuri
8.46
Dec–Mar
0.25–1.50
The ‘Bundhs’ witness rich harvest, particularly on ‘Paush Sangkranti’ (‘Pongol’) Eve, when
fi shing goes on almost for the whole night in festive mood.
28.3.8.2 Fish Trade
The places (mainly at the urban city centres)
where the fi shes are sold are the ‘fi sh markets’.
The marketing of fi shes, which are of prime quality
or of established acceptability, does not pose
much problems. On the other hand, the marketing
of the species, which are caught in large quantities having wide variations in their annual landings
or which are caught in appreciable quantities but
do not have much acceptability in the markets,
poses much problems in marketing. The latter are
called the ‘lesser fi sh’ or ‘trash fi sh’.
The inland fi sh production, unlike marine fi sheries (which comes only from capture fi sheries), is
contributed both by capture and culture fi sheries
from the freshwater resources. The marketing
problems, which arise out of considerable variations characterising marine fi sh production,
creating glut and lean periods, are not of any signifi cant dimensions in the case of production
from the inland fi sheries. Besides, the inland fi sh
production, in general, is characterised by certain
prize food fi sh species, which have established
acceptability in the market and are sold generally
in fresh condition mostly by weight system. The
marketing of catch from culture fi shery resources,
netted out periodically during the whole year
from perennial water bodies and during 2–3
months prior to monsoon from seasonal tanks,
may not cause much problem, because the netted
catch could be held in live condition in net enclosures for making phased supplies to the nearby
markets. Problems may, however, arise in the
case of capture fi sheries from riverine and reservoir sources because of scattered landings at
several places. It may, therefore, be necessary to
identify the potential centres where such landings
could be concentrated, so that marketing conditions could be improved by providing marketing
sheds, by keeping cold storage facilities and
by providing fast transportation and good road
conditions.
It is very sad to note here that the poor fi shermen, who generally live hand to mouth, pay tolls
as taxes to the Exchequer. But in spite of this and,
further, in spite of the fact that there is a Sone
Beel Fishermens’ Co-operative Society, these
poor fi shermen are deprived of the bare minimum
facilities which should have been given to them
for fi sh trade.
Notwithstanding the above, it appears to be
little pertinent here to discuss little bit about the
Sone Beel Fishermens’ Co-operative Society
(SBFCS) and the leasing pattern of the Beel.
28.3.8.3 The Sone Beel Fishermens’
Co-operative Society
The Sone Beel Fishermens’ Co-operative Society
(SBFCS) is a registered society managed by the
fi shermen living around the Beel. The society has
a Chairman (elected directly by the fi shermen), a
Vice-Chairman and few members. The Secretary
of the society is deputed by the government. The
Beels in Assam are under the administrative control of the Deputy Commissioners, they being
considered as ‘Khas’ lands. In another context,
the Beels in Assam are also under the administrative control of the Assam Fisheries Development
Corporation (AFDC) for their so-called management. The AFDC fl oats tender notices; and, in
response to the tender notice, the SBFCS and
certain affl uent individuals try to obtain the
Beel on lease from the AFDC. Except on very
rare instances, the Sone Beel Fishermens’
Co-operative Society generally gets preference
over the individuals in obtaining the Beel on
lease from the AFDC. The lease amount varies
from Rs. 750,000.00 approx. (during 2007) to Rs.
800,000.00 approx. (during 2008). But in spite of
this, due to some amount of mismanagement
during the tenure of certain Managing Committee
of SBFCS, the society remains a ‘defaulter’ in not
being able to clear the revenue share which it is
(continued)
28 Fishermen in Wetlands
Bundh
FA (ha)
MO
WL (m)
Kurerkata
15.05
Dec–Mar
0.25–1.50
Kanagajar
50.00
Oct–Dec
1.50–3.00
Baroitila
105.90
Nov–Apr
0.10–2.00
Vashankuri
8.46
Dec–Mar
0.25–1.50
The ‘Bundhs’ witness rich harvest, particularly on ‘Paush Sangkranti’ (‘Pongol’) Eve, when
fi shing goes on almost for the whole night in festive mood.
28.3.8.2 Fish Trade
The places (mainly at the urban city centres)
where the fi shes are sold are the ‘fi sh markets’.
The marketing of fi shes, which are of prime quality
or of established acceptability, does not pose
much problems. On the other hand, the marketing
of the species, which are caught in large quantities having wide variations in their annual landings
or which are caught in appreciable quantities but
do not have much acceptability in the markets,
poses much problems in marketing. The latter are
called the ‘lesser fi sh’ or ‘trash fi sh’.
The inland fi sh production, unlike marine fi sheries (which comes only from capture fi sheries), is
contributed both by capture and culture fi sheries
from the freshwater resources. The marketing
problems, which arise out of considerable variations characterising marine fi sh production,
creating glut and lean periods, are not of any signifi cant dimensions in the case of production
from the inland fi sheries. Besides, the inland fi sh
production, in general, is characterised by certain
prize food fi sh species, which have established
acceptability in the market and are sold generally
in fresh condition mostly by weight system. The
marketing of catch from culture fi shery resources,
netted out periodically during the whole year
from perennial water bodies and during 2–3
months prior to monsoon from seasonal tanks,
may not cause much problem, because the netted
catch could be held in live condition in net enclosures for making phased supplies to the nearby
markets. Problems may, however, arise in the
case of capture fi sheries from riverine and reservoir sources because of scattered landings at
several places. It may, therefore, be necessary to
identify the potential centres where such landings
could be concentrated, so that marketing conditions could be improved by providing marketing
sheds, by keeping cold storage facilities and
by providing fast transportation and good road
conditions.
It is very sad to note here that the poor fi shermen, who generally live hand to mouth, pay tolls
as taxes to the Exchequer. But in spite of this and,
further, in spite of the fact that there is a Sone
Beel Fishermens’ Co-operative Society, these
poor fi shermen are deprived of the bare minimum
facilities which should have been given to them
for fi sh trade.
Notwithstanding the above, it appears to be
little pertinent here to discuss little bit about the
Sone Beel Fishermens’ Co-operative Society
(SBFCS) and the leasing pattern of the Beel.
28.3.8.3 The Sone Beel Fishermens’
Co-operative Society
The Sone Beel Fishermens’ Co-operative Society
(SBFCS) is a registered society managed by the
fi shermen living around the Beel. The society has
a Chairman (elected directly by the fi shermen), a
Vice-Chairman and few members. The Secretary
of the society is deputed by the government. The
Beels in Assam are under the administrative control of the Deputy Commissioners, they being
considered as ‘Khas’ lands. In another context,
the Beels in Assam are also under the administrative control of the Assam Fisheries Development
Corporation (AFDC) for their so-called management. The AFDC fl oats tender notices; and, in
response to the tender notice, the SBFCS and
certain affl uent individuals try to obtain the
Beel on lease from the AFDC. Except on very
rare instances, the Sone Beel Fishermens’
Co-operative Society generally gets preference
over the individuals in obtaining the Beel on
lease from the AFDC. The lease amount varies
from Rs. 750,000.00 approx. (during 2007) to Rs.
800,000.00 approx. (during 2008). But in spite of
this, due to some amount of mismanagement
during the tenure of certain Managing Committee
of SBFCS, the society remains a ‘defaulter’ in not
being able to clear the revenue share which it is
(continued)
28 Fishermen in Wetlands