Socio-Economic Profile and Vulnerabilities Assessment in Small-Scale Fisheries of Lower Gangetic Flood Plain Wetland: An Initiative Towards Achieving Wetland Ecosystem Sustainability and Community Well-Being

ICAR-CIFRI has been continuously working to develop wetland fisheries in a transdisciplinary knowledge-to-action mode to upscale the livelihood of vulnerable small-scale fishermen communities. The integrated development approach was initiated in different lower Gangetic floodplain wetlands of North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India, to increase the fish production and socio-economic development of small-scale fishermen communities of the wetlands. Duma is one of the most extensive horseshoe-shaped wetlands in Asia. To augment the fish production from this wetland, the pen culture system was adopted by the fishers under the supervision of ICAR-CIFRI in 2021. Within a year, they received 15 tons of commercial fish, valued at around 30 lakhs apart from the small indigenous fish. It has recently been advised that auto-stocked, high-value minor carp in the wetland be adopted to improve income and conserve small indigenous species. In this article, SDG 14 (Life below water) addresses sustainable ecosystem management and livelihood enhancement for the wellbeing of the local people (SDG 3). Nutritional security of the local people is maintained through the small indigenous fish species which is crucial for addressing ‘No hunger’ as per SDG-2. The research also proves that women can play a crucial role in small-scale fisheries and they can economically stand alone, which is the main aim of SDG-5 (gender equality). However, significant issues such as lack of jurisdictional coordination, ecological changes, inequitable distribution of benefits, and income reduction persist in wetland management. The need for urgent reformation of policy and resource management systems is crucial to boost the economic efficiency of the SSF in the wetland. Training for more knowledge on fishing and fish farming, acquiring alternative livelihood and education on financial management should be brought to the fishermen’s communities. These could develop a resilient community that is more equipped to respond to future crises.