644
30.5 Development of Fisheries in
Floodplains and Wetlands
Concomitant to the oxbow lakes, the fl oodplains
and the other wetlands are also lentic bodies
which have enough potential for fi sh farming.
As an example, the NE part of Bihar has a long
stretch of fl ood plains in Gandak and Kosi basins.
A series of shallow lakes (locally called ‘chaurs’
in Bihar and ‘Beel’ in Assam ) are found in these
areas to the tune of about 46,000 ha. These waterbodies also support a rich biodiversity, but are
fragile in nature. They are also the repositories of
a rich diversity of freshwater food and ornamental fi shes. At present, these Beels, etc., witness
mainly capture fi shery with a production range of
40–50 kg/ha/year, principally due to habitat degradation. Nevertheless, these waterbodies have
portrayed a high fi sh production to the tune
of >1,000 kg/ha/year in certain well-managed
pockets. The property regime in the fl oodplains is
unique, and many individual farmers own only a
part of the cropping land under submergence,
making any culture and management practice
conditional upon collective effort of the farmers
(Anon 2002 , 2004a , b ).
The policy may endeavour to recognise this
unique property regime and envisage cooperative
or collective management of these waterbodies,
wherein crop cultivation could be integrated with
fi sheries, i.e. crop cultivation under individual
management while fi sh culture under collective
management. Thus, this policy may attempt to
visualise cluster development of the water-logged
areas for food and employment generation without
altering the nature of the ecosystem. Since waterlogged areas may have submerged land holdings
of many farmers, community-based collective/
participatory management would be the best and
successful model of development. Farmers could
be mobilised for the same, so as to reach mutual
commitments and make shared and informed decisions while reducing confl icts. This could also
minimise the uncertainty over resource use, and
fi nally farmers could share both the costs and benefi ts of their efforts. Demonstration of the possibility and profi tability of aquaculture in Beels,
chaurs, etc., through pilot scale intervention may
encourage the involvement of NGOs for mobilising and organising motivation and training camps
for farmers. This could also facilitate in implementation of different models of contractual farming arrangements, mobilising inputs, credit and
marketing support under different schemes and so
on. These may be the major thrust areas to achieve
an average productivity of 500–700 kg/year/ha.
Policy statement of the Department of Water
Resources in many countries may be recognised
with due emphasis. It generally states that ‘ waterlogged lentic bodies should not be drained out,
rather they should be retained as they are to be
brought under aquaculture ’. Such a policy
would, no doubt, greatly benefi t aquaculture
and fi sheries development in the world. The
Department of Animal and Fish resources could
work closely with the Department of Water
Resources and the Department of Agriculture for
integrated development of the fl oodplains .
30.6 Development of Fisheries in
Reservoirs
The reservoirs are constructed primarily for generation of hydroelectricity and for irrigation.
These reservoirs are usually productive from the
biological point of view as they receive adequate
light and optimum atmospheric and water temperature which are conducive for the growth of
fi sh. Sometimes, reservoirs are relatively small in
size having water spread area <1,000 ha. In many
reservoirs, the present average fi sh yield is <20 kg/
ha/year which is, perhaps, below any national
average. However, the low yield of fi sh from
reservoirs could be attributed to many factors
like rainfall in the catchment, fl ow of water, lack
of quality yearlings for stocking, inappropriate
use of gears and crafts and improper management
regime and modus operandi as well as other institutional and management factors like ailing
cooperatives, lack of appropriate policy and lack
of fi shing and management rights to Department
of Animal and Fish Resources.
The guiding principle of fi sheries development in reservoir is productivity enhancement
30 Developmental Activities in Wetlands
30.5 Development of Fisheries in
Floodplains and Wetlands
Concomitant to the oxbow lakes, the fl oodplains
and the other wetlands are also lentic bodies
which have enough potential for fi sh farming.
As an example, the NE part of Bihar has a long
stretch of fl ood plains in Gandak and Kosi basins.
A series of shallow lakes (locally called ‘chaurs’
in Bihar and ‘Beel’ in Assam ) are found in these
areas to the tune of about 46,000 ha. These waterbodies also support a rich biodiversity, but are
fragile in nature. They are also the repositories of
a rich diversity of freshwater food and ornamental fi shes. At present, these Beels, etc., witness
mainly capture fi shery with a production range of
40–50 kg/ha/year, principally due to habitat degradation. Nevertheless, these waterbodies have
portrayed a high fi sh production to the tune
of >1,000 kg/ha/year in certain well-managed
pockets. The property regime in the fl oodplains is
unique, and many individual farmers own only a
part of the cropping land under submergence,
making any culture and management practice
conditional upon collective effort of the farmers
(Anon 2002 , 2004a , b ).
The policy may endeavour to recognise this
unique property regime and envisage cooperative
or collective management of these waterbodies,
wherein crop cultivation could be integrated with
fi sheries, i.e. crop cultivation under individual
management while fi sh culture under collective
management. Thus, this policy may attempt to
visualise cluster development of the water-logged
areas for food and employment generation without
altering the nature of the ecosystem. Since waterlogged areas may have submerged land holdings
of many farmers, community-based collective/
participatory management would be the best and
successful model of development. Farmers could
be mobilised for the same, so as to reach mutual
commitments and make shared and informed decisions while reducing confl icts. This could also
minimise the uncertainty over resource use, and
fi nally farmers could share both the costs and benefi ts of their efforts. Demonstration of the possibility and profi tability of aquaculture in Beels,
chaurs, etc., through pilot scale intervention may
encourage the involvement of NGOs for mobilising and organising motivation and training camps
for farmers. This could also facilitate in implementation of different models of contractual farming arrangements, mobilising inputs, credit and
marketing support under different schemes and so
on. These may be the major thrust areas to achieve
an average productivity of 500–700 kg/year/ha.
Policy statement of the Department of Water
Resources in many countries may be recognised
with due emphasis. It generally states that ‘ waterlogged lentic bodies should not be drained out,
rather they should be retained as they are to be
brought under aquaculture ’. Such a policy
would, no doubt, greatly benefi t aquaculture
and fi sheries development in the world. The
Department of Animal and Fish resources could
work closely with the Department of Water
Resources and the Department of Agriculture for
integrated development of the fl oodplains .
30.6 Development of Fisheries in
Reservoirs
The reservoirs are constructed primarily for generation of hydroelectricity and for irrigation.
These reservoirs are usually productive from the
biological point of view as they receive adequate
light and optimum atmospheric and water temperature which are conducive for the growth of
fi sh. Sometimes, reservoirs are relatively small in
size having water spread area <1,000 ha. In many
reservoirs, the present average fi sh yield is <20 kg/
ha/year which is, perhaps, below any national
average. However, the low yield of fi sh from
reservoirs could be attributed to many factors
like rainfall in the catchment, fl ow of water, lack
of quality yearlings for stocking, inappropriate
use of gears and crafts and improper management
regime and modus operandi as well as other institutional and management factors like ailing
cooperatives, lack of appropriate policy and lack
of fi shing and management rights to Department
of Animal and Fish Resources.
The guiding principle of fi sheries development in reservoir is productivity enhancement
30 Developmental Activities in Wetlands