Enhancing Income of Small Scale Tribal Fishers of Charan Beel, Assam through Culture-Based Fisheries and Pen Culture: A Participatory Approach

Abstract

Charan beel is a closed floodplain wetland located in Baksa district, Assam. Culture-based fisheries (CBF) and pen culture demonstrated in the beel to enhance fish production and income of tribal fishers in a participatory mode. For CBF, advanced carp fingerlings @ 3,000 no. ha^-1 were stocked in the beel in December, 2020. CIFRI-HDPE pens were also installed in the marginal areas (4,500 m² area) of the beel and stocked with carp fingerlings @ 3-9 no. m^-2 during February-March, 2021 and reared for 6 months. A total of 5.22 tonnes of fishes were harvested from the beel during 2021-22, resulting 64% increase in total fish production and 106% increase in net income of 133 fisher families compared to that in 2018-19. The outcome of Charan beel is an example to emulate in other parts of the regions for betterment of small scale beel fishers.