Fisheries

This paper in the Journal of Earth System Science deals with a study by National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa to investigate the influence of monsoonal rainfall on hydrographic conditions in the Mandovi River of India. The study was undertaken at a location approximately 2 km upstream of the mouth of the estuary.

This Comprehensive Management Action Plan by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) deals with the various conservation and management interventions that can be taken up for long-term sustainability of Ousteri lake, the largest lake in Puducherry.

Wetlands in urban areas have always been exploited for several purposes due to anthropogenic activities. However, such activities may lead to alteration of wetland characteristics and thus cause changes in species composition and density. The Ousteri Lake (Oussudu Eri in Tamil) is rich in flora and fauna and is known to provide several ecological services including recharging underground aquifers and providing several livelihood options for the local community.

The Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) is a premier research institute on freshwater aquaculture in the country under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi.

Under the ICAR national fellow project on ‘Development of novel immunopotentiator molecules from fish host and pathogens for broad spectrum disease control in freshwater aquaculture’, at CIFA, Bhubaneswar, the following temporary position is available for five years, i.e. up to April 7, 2016. The appointment is purely temporary and co-terminus with the project. The appointment will be initially be made for one year and will be renewed on satisfactory performance till the end of the project.

 An important aim of this guide is to facilitate the implementation of UNEP’s overarching Ecosystem Management Programme and new Marine and Coastal Strategy in countries and regions in line with its Medium Term Strategy 2010-13.

This desk review is directed at those engaged in research, education, development and planning and provides consolidated information on reservoirs, including the resources available, level of technologies and the extent of their utilisation and has attempted to systematically compile all relevant information on Indian reservoirs from a fisheries perspective.

Marine-coastal ecosystems and coastal communities are poorly represented in the public debates on India’s social and environmental problems. Coastal and marine ecosystems are the backbone of a fisheries economy that supports livelihoods of millions directly and several more indirectly.

Community groups such as fishers and other coastal populations enjoyed customary or traditional rights to exploit resources and to fish in adjacent coastal areas. The current state of fisheries finds its genesis in the modernization programme introduced by the Government of India to ‘develop’ the sector with the focus for development through the maximisation of production. In the late 1970s, modern fishing methods threatened the livelihoods of these communities and coastal ecosystems. Mechanised craft and gear, principally trawlers with bottom trawling gear, severely impacted fishing stocks.

Fisherfolk in India have struggled for greater control over the seas and resource management, struggles which have been directed both inward as well as against the State. The conflict over the coastal space is mostly between fishing communities and other new users and interest groups. Access to coastal resources is now being thrown open to all, giving a new meaning to the idea of ‘coastal commons’. There are very clear linkages between the rights to the coast and the right to fish as without the former, the latter will be difficult to operationalise and eventually rendered meaningless.

The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 1991 has been the only legislation with some mention and reference to customary rights of fishing communities on land in the coastal zone. However, it did not contain provisions and details to ascertain or establish these rights. Despite this, fishing communities have seen the CRZ in its 1991 form as an instrument in their favour as it regulates all activities that can potentially impact the coast and community livelihoods. However, the twenty one odd amendments to the CRZ Notification were mostly in favour of development pressures and special interest lobbies.

This backdrop forms the driving force behind this report which seeks to argue a case for according coastal land rights to fishing communities.

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Watershed Support Services and Activities Network (WASSAN) is an autonomous support organization, working to promote NRM based livelihoods in rain fed areas. WASSAN mainly focuses on capacity building, technical support and policy advocacy through its various projects funded by Government, national and international donors and other agencies. WASSAN is looking for Technical Officer(s) to work for the inland tank based fisheries in rainfed areas.

Tribal habitat and rich primitive culture covers many traditions and fish is an integral part of the tribal food habit since times immemorial in this region. The life of tribes mainly depends on naturally available foods which can rarely be reaped in other places. The fishing techniques are specialized according to structure, size of stream, season and species of fishes intended to be harvested.

The first report titled “Heavy metal burden in coastal marine sediments of north west coast of India in relation to pollution” by M A Rokade, University of Mumbai uses the data on contaminants including metals in seawater, marine sediments and biota for the Mumbai- Bassein region, a high

After exploration she found that more than 3 ton fish have died in Kelo River in last one week.

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