Managing Mechanisation for Effective Management of Fishery Resources in Chilika Lagoon

Introduction The fish sector is a source of income and livelihood for millions of people around the world and the fisheries resources are the primary form of coastal livelihood for survival and affects lives of fishermen in various ways. In 1990, around 28.5 million people around the world made their entire or partial living from fishery production and capture (Allison and Ellis 2001). Employment in the fisheries sector has grown faster than employment in traditional agriculture (FAO report 2010). It is not only the fishermen whose livelihood depends on the fishing activity, but on an estimate for each person employed in capture fisheries and aquaculture production, about three jobs are produced in secondary activities, including post-harvest. Moreover, on an average, each fisherman supports the livelihood of three to four dependents or family members. As per Fisheries and Aquaculture Department report, the employment in fishing is decreasing in many of the Asian countries including in India. This is the result of several factors, including decreased catches, programmes to reduce fishing capacity and increased productivity through technical progress. In the past, many of the studies have therefore drawn significant attention to the socio-economic conditions of small-scale fisherman. These findings reveal that livelihoods of small-scale fisherman more or less kept them in poverty (FAO1995; Rubinoff 1999; Sekhar 2004). The state of Orissa, in the eastern part of India, having a long cost line and a number of water bodies, offers a vast scope for development for inland, brackish water and marine fisheries. Chilika lagoon, situated in the state divulges a unique assembly of marine, brackish and fresh water ecosystem and sustains the livelihood of thousands of fisher-folk in and around it. The lake is important from both flora and fauna perspective. In 1973, the area was declared as a bird sanctuary. The lake is also a well-known wintering site for migrating birds where every year millions of birds come from far off parts of Asia including Afghanistan, Siberia, Caspian Sea, Lake Biklal, Iran, Ladakh and Himalayas. This water body is extremely important for the local population, as it is not only a major source of livelihood, but also is a focus for cultural and religious activities. Its rich, bio-diverse beauty attracts a lot of nature lovers, bird watcher and tourists. Unfortunately, with the passage of time, Chilika is facing serious problems and has been losing its glory. The deterioration of the lake is both due to natural ecological changes and man made pressures. Shrinkage of area under water, siltation, and decrease in fish fauna, encroachment, water pollution, use of motorised boats and above all unplanned management are major threats to the ecosystem of Chilika. The lagoon is also considered to be climate-prone area in India. The six coastal districts in Orissa, including the three adjacent to Chilika are often subjected to tropical storm systems like cyclones as well as storm induced flooding and surges. With the growing population, the threat of the coastal vulnerability risk has increased even manifold during the last couple of years. This article sets off with the objective to describe the dynamics of livelihood, poverty with regard to over mechanisation in the lake. The study supports the arguments that with the increase of mechanised boats and modern fishing technology, traditional fishermen in and around Chilika suffer with several problems like socio-political, economic and environmental in nature. Methodology The study was restricted within the survey of the fisher folk fishing in and around Chilika covering Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Orissa. The lake is surrounded by about 132 fishing villages. Out of the total, 30 per cent of the fishing village population is actively involved in fishing. The fishing population consists of sub-groups such as Kandaras, Khatias, Niary, Nolia, Tiaras, etc. …