611
supposed to pay to the government. Nevertheless,
during the tenure of some other Managing
Committee of SBFCS, the society made a big
amount of profi t and cleared the revenue share
which it was supposed to pay to the government.
The SBFCS raises the revenue by leasing out the
‘Bundhs’ to different groups and individuals.
It may be mentioned here that fi shing restriction
is imposed only in the ‘Bundhs’ at DSL of the
Beel after the lease becomes effective. At FSL of
the Beel, any fi sherman can fi sh anywhere in the
Beel. Sometimes, there occurs law and order
problem, when fi shing in Sone Beel (particularly
in the ‘Bundhs’ at DSL) becomes a bone of contention between rival groups.
28.3.9 In Chatla Haor
28.3.9.1 Fishing Centres
Chatla Haor is a much smaller seasonal fl oodplain wetland as compared to Sone Beel. It does
not have any DSL and is almost completely dry
during the winter. There are only a few insignifi -
cant fi shing centres (locally called ‘Kheo’ or
‘Jheng’) on the NW side of the Haor where fi shing is to be completed and all the fi shes are to be
harvested within autumn. Harvest includes different types of small fi shes and also big fi shes,
notably the IMCs.
28.3.9.2 Fishermens’ Co-operative/
Development Society
Unlike in Sone Beel, Chatla Haor does not have a
Chatla Haor Fishermens’ Co-operative Society.
Nevertheless, there are a number of small registered or unregistered ‘clubs’, all of which are found
to be not very active and concerned about the
socio-economic upliftment of the poor fi shermen.
28.3.9.3 The Anuas
The Anuas are said to be leased out by the DC/
AFDC to private entrepreneurs. The lease
amount varies according to the prevailing rate
and dimension of the water body. The Lessee
does fi shing in the Anuas employing generally
the local fi shermen but does not seem to give
much benefi t to them. Most of the Anuas are
highly eutrophic and choked due to prolific
growth of the weeds, notably the Eichhornia
crassipes. The Lessee, sometimes, also, has to
shoulder the onerous responsibility of clearing
the Anuas of enormous amount of weeds in
order to fi sh in them properly. The Anuas are,
in general, deeper than the Beels and Haors.
There is also not much fl uctuation in the water
level between rainy and dry seasons. As such,
fi shing is done throughout the whole Anua
without much discrimination of areas by depth.
There is usually a market near the shore of
each Anua or little away. The fi shes, if in small
amount, are sold on retail basis on lump- sum
amount in the nearby markets. If in large quantity, the fishes are sold, on whole sale basis,
through auction. Activities of Fishermens’
Co-operative Society, if any, are not very much
evident in any of the Anuas.
Summary
1. ‘Fisherfolk’ or the ‘fi shermen’ are the instruments to harvest fi sh from any water body.
They are trained, not only in various
methods of fi shing but also in fabrication of
different types of fi shing implements and
devices according to fi sh type, habitat type
and season type.
2. The villages around the shore of a wetland
are generally inhabited by fi shermen belonging to different communities. The activities
of the fi shermen and their socio-economic
condition have been infl uencing the development and utilisation of its fi shery resources
in a signifi cant way.
3. The continent of Asia seems to be bountiful
with wetlands as precious natural resources,
particularly in the countries in South and
Southeast Asia, like India, Bangladesh,
China, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam,
Malaysia and Indonesia. In NE India, there
are many poor fi shermen belonging to SC
and ST communities living around the wetlands and on the river banks. An account of
the fi shermen of Sone Beel (the biggest wetland in Assam) as a typical example from
wetland in Asia has been discussed in the
present treatise.
28.3 Wetland Fishermen Exemplifi ed from a Typical Wetland in Asia…
supposed to pay to the government. Nevertheless,
during the tenure of some other Managing
Committee of SBFCS, the society made a big
amount of profi t and cleared the revenue share
which it was supposed to pay to the government.
The SBFCS raises the revenue by leasing out the
‘Bundhs’ to different groups and individuals.
It may be mentioned here that fi shing restriction
is imposed only in the ‘Bundhs’ at DSL of the
Beel after the lease becomes effective. At FSL of
the Beel, any fi sherman can fi sh anywhere in the
Beel. Sometimes, there occurs law and order
problem, when fi shing in Sone Beel (particularly
in the ‘Bundhs’ at DSL) becomes a bone of contention between rival groups.
28.3.9 In Chatla Haor
28.3.9.1 Fishing Centres
Chatla Haor is a much smaller seasonal fl oodplain wetland as compared to Sone Beel. It does
not have any DSL and is almost completely dry
during the winter. There are only a few insignifi -
cant fi shing centres (locally called ‘Kheo’ or
‘Jheng’) on the NW side of the Haor where fi shing is to be completed and all the fi shes are to be
harvested within autumn. Harvest includes different types of small fi shes and also big fi shes,
notably the IMCs.
28.3.9.2 Fishermens’ Co-operative/
Development Society
Unlike in Sone Beel, Chatla Haor does not have a
Chatla Haor Fishermens’ Co-operative Society.
Nevertheless, there are a number of small registered or unregistered ‘clubs’, all of which are found
to be not very active and concerned about the
socio-economic upliftment of the poor fi shermen.
28.3.9.3 The Anuas
The Anuas are said to be leased out by the DC/
AFDC to private entrepreneurs. The lease
amount varies according to the prevailing rate
and dimension of the water body. The Lessee
does fi shing in the Anuas employing generally
the local fi shermen but does not seem to give
much benefi t to them. Most of the Anuas are
highly eutrophic and choked due to prolific
growth of the weeds, notably the Eichhornia
crassipes. The Lessee, sometimes, also, has to
shoulder the onerous responsibility of clearing
the Anuas of enormous amount of weeds in
order to fi sh in them properly. The Anuas are,
in general, deeper than the Beels and Haors.
There is also not much fl uctuation in the water
level between rainy and dry seasons. As such,
fi shing is done throughout the whole Anua
without much discrimination of areas by depth.
There is usually a market near the shore of
each Anua or little away. The fi shes, if in small
amount, are sold on retail basis on lump- sum
amount in the nearby markets. If in large quantity, the fishes are sold, on whole sale basis,
through auction. Activities of Fishermens’
Co-operative Society, if any, are not very much
evident in any of the Anuas.
Summary
1. ‘Fisherfolk’ or the ‘fi shermen’ are the instruments to harvest fi sh from any water body.
They are trained, not only in various
methods of fi shing but also in fabrication of
different types of fi shing implements and
devices according to fi sh type, habitat type
and season type.
2. The villages around the shore of a wetland
are generally inhabited by fi shermen belonging to different communities. The activities
of the fi shermen and their socio-economic
condition have been infl uencing the development and utilisation of its fi shery resources
in a signifi cant way.
3. The continent of Asia seems to be bountiful
with wetlands as precious natural resources,
particularly in the countries in South and
Southeast Asia, like India, Bangladesh,
China, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam,
Malaysia and Indonesia. In NE India, there
are many poor fi shermen belonging to SC
and ST communities living around the wetlands and on the river banks. An account of
the fi shermen of Sone Beel (the biggest wetland in Assam) as a typical example from
wetland in Asia has been discussed in the
present treatise.
28.3 Wetland Fishermen Exemplifi ed from a Typical Wetland in Asia…