Boat automation and fishery livelihood: a case of Chilika Lake in Odisha

摘要

Chilika Lake, situated in the eastern part of India is a biodiversity site and is blessed with distinct assemblage of oceanic and fresh water. The lake having extremely rich fishery resources helps in generating instant employments and livelihoods to a large number of fishers and non-fishers residing in and around it. However, during the past few years the augmented utilisation of modern fishing technology including mechanised boats has increased the vulnerability of the traditional fisher folks. Based on a field survey of 450 fishing households (selected through multistage purposive sampling method), this paper highlights the changing concerns and crisis of traditional fishing livelihood in the context of overuse of motorised boats. In the past, the lake seems to have invited free entry and competition for fishing venture, and thereby promoting economic efficiency but resulting exactly the opposite effects. The study also reveals that the boat motorisation and its related new regulations resulting in climate vulnerability are fast weakening the traditional fisheries in the Chilika Lake. It is high time to regulate the present day means and ways of fishing in the lake keeping in mind the fast depletion of fishery resources and rapid degradation of lake environment. Thus, the article argues that the effective management of motorised boats, strict regulation of user's rights to fishing and promotion of alternate non-fishing livelihood options can be a number of key factors for maintaining the lake's rich biodiversity as well as sustaining fishery and aquaculture in the lake.