Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore

Enhancing Productivity (Fish)

Problems and Prospects of Fisheries in West Bengal

Srikanta SamantaSanjoy Das

Archan Kanti Das

Marine

Length of coast line (Km)

158

Continental Shelf (‘000 sq km)

17

Number of Fish Landing Centers

59

No of Fishing villages 188

No of fishermen families

76,981

Fisher-folk population 3,80,138

Inland

Total inland water bodies (lakh Ha)

5.45

Rivers & canals (Km) 2,526

Reservoirs (Lakh ha) 0.17

Tanks & ponds (lakh Ha) 2.76

Flood plain lakes/derelict waters (lakh Ha)

0.42

Brackish water (lakh Ha) 2.10

AQUATIC RESOURCES IN WEST BENGAL

http://www.dahd.nic.in/dahd/WriteReadData/Fisheries%20States%20Profile/West%20Bengal.pdf‎

Pond/Tanks35%

Beel/Baor5%

Riservoir3%

River21%

Canal10%

Sewage fed fishery

0%

Bracish water/Beri

26%

Inland Fishery Resource in West Bengal

Annual Report 2009-10,Department of Fishery, West Bengal

Inland Resources Length / Area

River (km) 2526

Reservoir (lakh ha) 0.17

Ponds and Tanks(lakh ha)

2.76

Beels, Oxbow Lakes (lakh ha)

0.42

Brackish Water Resources (lakh ha)

2.10

Fisheries in West Bengal can be divided broadly in three categories

Capture fishery

Culture based capture fishery

River Estuary Sea

Bheri Beel Reservoir

Aquaculture

Pond/Tanks

Paddy cum Fish culture and Sewage fed fishery is also practiced in some parts of West Bengal

Year Inland Marine Total Fish seeds

Inland

(‘000 tons)

Growth

(%)

Marine

(‘000 tons)

Growth

(%)

Production

(‘000 tons)

Growth

(%)

In million

fry

2004-05 1035.50 4.81 179.50 -1.16 1215.00 3.88 12200

2005-06 1090.00 5.36 160.00 -10.86 1250.00 2.88 12200

2006-07 1181.01 8.35 178.10 11.31 1359.10 8.73 13200

2007-08 1264.53 7.07 182.74 2.61 1447.26 6.49 13572

2008-09 1294.71 2.39 189.29 3.58 1484.00 2.54 14181

2009-10 1338.00 3.34 179.00 -5.44 1517.01 2.22 12566

2010-11 1246.15 -6.86 197.11 10.12 1443.26 -4.86 13453

2011-12 1290.22 3.52 182.02 -7.66 1472.04 1.99 13846

2012-13 1337.66 152.35 1590.02

0 500 1000 1500

2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

0 100 200 300

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

10000 12000 14000 16000

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

2011-12

Fish production trends/ Growth rate and seed production in West Bengal

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS IMPACT

Significant increase in fishing effort Overfishing

Use of gears - non selective/ small mesh size Recruitment failure

Juvenile Fishing Loss of biodiversity

Siltation of water bodies Loss of breeding ground

Pollution with nutrients, metals, pesticides, persistent contaminants

Habitat degradation

Encroachment to water spread area due to demand for land

Loss of water area

Non availability of economic fish feeds Catch /Production Decreasing

Decreased initiatives in Fisherman Cooperative Societies

Meager financing Not developing as organisedsector

Climate change and associated effects Change in salinity, flood

Unavailability of quality fish seeds Lower fish production

Problems in Capture fishery in West Bengal

Main resource of capture fishery in West Bengal is river. River is source of livelihood of many fishers

Problem : Decline in fish catch Destructive fishing method Habitat degradation due to water pollutionClimate change

Hilsa Fishery is livelihood of many fishers in Hooghly estuarinesystem but now Hilsa fisheries is at stake. Overfishing of adults, juveniles and fries (20 mm) by usingdestructive fishing gears Habitat degradation due to pollution Loss of critical spawning and nurseries grounds due to waterwithdrawals and diversionsData shows decline catch from 15799.0 t to 5530.0 t during theperiod of 2000 to 2010 in Hooghly estuarine system(CIFRI,2011).

Problems in Estuaries:

Hilsa juvenile catch in destructive fishing gears

Major issues related to capture fisheries of the Sunderbans

Bag net (Been jal)

Use of cod-end with small mesh or mosquito net

resulting in huge quantity bye-catch of very small

fish juveniles (including prized hilsa, P.

paradiseus, E. tetradactum, scienids etc) with no

commercial value (Feed for Clarius garipinus in

some places!!)Set barrier (Chor pata / Khal pata jal)

Use of mosquito net in Set barrier resulting in

trapping of very small fish juveniles which are even

not harvested as they mingle with mud during low

tide; huge destruction of juveniles of prized fishes

like mullets, Glossogobius, prawns and crabs

Small mesh gill net (chhandi jal)

Small mesh (1”) gill net often resulted in catching of

juveniles of prized fishes (including hilsa juveniles)

having less commercial value and loss of important

capture fishery resources

Issues related to juvenile capture fishery in Sunderbans

Various forms of meen jal operated in

Sunderbans to collect prawn juveniles

Wanton destruction of fish juveniles

Larvae and fish juveniles are indiscriminately destroyed during isolation of

prawn / mullet / sea-bass seed caught by various forms of net

Capture fishery of Sunderbans

Meen Jaal

Gill net

Bag net

Charpata

Hook & line

Cast net

Ber jal

Sunderban is known as natural breeding ground ofvarious fishes and aquatic animals. The exploitation ofnatural resources of Sunderban leads to loss of fishbiodiversityCollection of fish seed/Meen collectionUse of destructive fishing gearsHabitat degradation

Fishes caught with Large mesh gill net (Cot jal) from Sunderbans

Otolithoides biauritus

caught near sajnekhali

Scomberoides commersonnianus

Plotosus canius

Lates calcarifer

E. tetradactylum

O. militaris

A view of Kholsi beel

Pen culture in beel can enhance production

West Bengal is the Largest producer of inland fish 30% of the national production

Leader in fish seed production - meeting 62% of country’s need

Aquaculture :

Fish culture in pond or tank

Total resource (in lakhhectare)

Under culture (in lakhhectare)

%age of resource area under culture

Ponds/Tanks 2.76 2.20 79.71

Annual Report 2009-10,Department of Fishery, West Bengal

Gaps found in aquaculture in West Bengal

Type / Particulars Activity & People involved in Bottlenecks

Fish seed producers / Hatchery owners

Produce seedsUsually rich and influential people

Fluctuating market demand of seeds

Small scale farmersculture fish and

prawns in small scale

Mostly as a secondary occupation

Low production

Fish Marketing Fish selling and buying Involvement of the middleman

1. Domestication and culture of Hilsa : A fresh initiative has been taken to domesticate hilsa

from its natural habitat and finally culture it (Medium / Long).

2. Industrial Aquaculture : Development of aquaculture firms in large scale with

mechanisation, zero discharge system to meet up increasing demand for fish. Intensive carp /

Bhetki / Milk Fish culture systems / Crab fattening etc(Short /Medium).

3. Cage culture in reservoirs / rivers/ canals for fish seeds and growing table size fishes (ST)

4. Pen culture in beels / wetlands / bheries (Short term)

5. Developing economically viable fish feed from indigenous resources (research input) (MT)

6. Stocking with right size (in reservoirs with 100 mm for IMCs) (Short term)

7. Renovation / excavation of connecting channels of wetlands , etc. under different

developmental programs like NAREGA (Medium / Long)

8. Strengthening Fisherman Cooperative Societies (Short term)

9. Easy Finance Schemes from Govt. credit agencies (Short term)

10. Arrangement of alternate livelihood options during lean/ fishing ban periods(Short term)

11. Special drive to conserve and multiply IUCN listed endangered fishes (Medium / Long)

12. Development of fish sanctuaries to conserve biodiversity (Medium / Long)

13. Enforcement of Govt. laws to stop destructive fishing (Short term)

14. Maintaining environmental flow in rivers

Scope of Development