Beel Fisheries

Introduction:

Floodplain wetlands commonly known as in Assam are one of the most precious fishery resources of Assam. The total area of Assam is 100815 ha under which the number of totals registered 1903 with an area of 61763 ha. These floodplains’ wetlands are present along both the Brahmaputra and Barak River basins and are of open and closed types. These water bodies offer tremendous scope for fisheries development and thus may be instrumental as an alternative source of income to the local community.

Fish germplasm diversity:

The faunistic composition of the floodplain wetlands generally reflects that of the parent river. The major fish species can be broadly divided into major carp, minor carp, catfishes, snakeheads, feather back, herring, gobbies, loaches, perches, needlefish, mud eel, spiny eel, pufferfish and small size prawns. In the absence of any species management, these were dominated by small fishes (Puntius spp., Colisa spp, Chanda spp, Mystus vitatus. Ambassis spp, Amblypharyngodon mola, Nandus nandus, Mastacembelus pancalus, small prawns, Botia spp), carnivorous catfishes (Wallago attu, Ailla coila, Ompok bimaculatus) and air breathers H. fossilis, Channa punctatus. A. testudineus and N. notopterus) besides Indian major carps. Many of these wetlands are being stocked under culture-based fisheries by co-operative societies commonly with Indian major carps and minor carps.

Fish Yield trend and Potential

The average fish yields from stocked and stocked are 221 kg/ha/year and 450 kg/ha/year respectively. The potential fish production from these capture and culture-based fisheries have been estimated to be 450kg/ha/year and 1500 kg/ha/year respectively.

Management Practices:

Fisheries enhancement

Fisheries enhancement refers to the process by which qualitative and quantitative improvement is achieved from water bodies through exercising specific management options. There are several practices, which together contribute to the intensification of fish production from a water body. These can be in the form of improving the stock, changing the exploitation norms, changing crafts and gear, introducing a new form of access and so on. Apart from improving the production of absolute biomass from the water bodies, it can also be in the form of interventions on access to the fisheries or improvement in their monetary and aesthetic values.

Enhancement Types:

1. Culture-Based Fisheries (Stock and Recapture)
2. Stock Enhancement (Enhanced Capture Fisheries)
3. Species Enhancement (Introduction of new species)
4. Environmental Enhancement (Fertilizing water bodies)
5. Management Enhancement (Introducing new management option)
6. Enhancement through new culture systems (Cage culture, pen Culture, FAD’s)

Management in closed Water:

The basic strategy here will be stocking and recapturing. are the ideal water bodies for practicing culture-based fisheries for many reasons. Firstly, they are very rich in nutrients and fish food organisms which enable the stocked fishes to grow faster to support the fishery. Thus, the growth is achieved at a faster rate compared to reservoirs. Secondly, they allow higher stocking density by virtue of their better growth performance and per hectare yield is quite high. Thirdly, there are no irrigation canals and spillways in the case of the small reservoirs which cause the stock loss and the lack of effective river communication prevents unwanted stock. They also allow stocking of detritivores as the energy transfer takes place through the detritus chain.

In culture-based fishery, the growth is dependent on stocking density and survival is dependent on the size of the stocked in the right number, and in the right size and their recapture at the right size are the determining factors. These have to be decided as a part of ecosystem-oriented management. The basic management strategies can be summarized as:

1. Size at stocking
2. Stocking density
3. Size at capture/selection of fishing gear
4. Species management
5. Species selection

Management in open Water:

Some retain their riverine connection for a reasonably long time, which is relatively free from weed infestations. These are the typical continuum of rivers where the management strategy is essentially akin to riverine fisheries. Thus, the basic approach is to allow recruitment by conserving and protecting the brooders and juveniles. These measures have the dual advantage of conserving the natural habitat of the along with extending the benefits of conservation to the lotic ecosystem of the parent stream. In capture fishery management, the natural fish stock is managed. Therefore, a thorough insight into population dynamics including recruitment, the following parameters are taken into consideration.

1. Identification and protection of breeding grounds.
2. Allow free migration of brooders and juveniles from river to sea and vice versa.
3. Protection of brood stock and juveniles by conservation measures.

The growth of over-fishing is prevented by taking appropriate measures for gear selection. An adjustment in the quality and quantity of fishing gear is an essential component of capture fishery management. Common strategies are followed are summarized as:

1. Increase the minimum mesh size.
2. Increase or decrease the fishing effort.
3. Observe the closed season to protect the brooders.
4. Strict adherence to the restriction on the minimum size at capture.
5. Diversity of gear.
6. Selective augmentation of stocks, only if unavoidable.

Conclusion:

Although these diverse water bodies are important habitats for myriads of flora and fauna, breeding and nursing grounds of a variety of fish, reptiles, birds etc. and have a high potential for fisheries development and upliftment of fishermen community, these water bodies remain neglected which is evident from the fact of encroachment, earth filling, prejudice exploitation of resources. Therefore, regular monitoring, enforcement of rules and regulations and awareness programs should be put in place to ensure sustainable development and management of these vital aquatic resources.