A Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Governance of Self-Recruiting Small Indigenous Fishes in the Lower Gangetic Floodplain Wetlands of Eastern India

This study examined the wetland ecology, institutional frameworks, and governance mechanisms for managing self-recruiting small indigenous fishes (SIFs) across four wetlands in the lower Gangetic plain, a region bridging the Himalayan and Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots. Using a mixed-method approach, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 100 respondents from the fisher community, focus group discussions, unpublished records, and direct observations. The findings revealed a lack of systematic institutional mechanisms in three wetlands, possibly due to their small size, which fostered informal regulations among community members. The Chamardaha (35.813) wetland received a low score in an Ecosystem Health Index (EHI; range: 0–100) and the others, viz., Beledanga (53.813), Kumil (45.237), and Panchita (54.989), received a medium score. A wide range of significant (p < 0.05) effect sizes (β = −0.20 to 0.65) was found for the different governance parameters on sustainability and average per capita income of fisher society. Our investigation showed that 90% to 76% of the harvested SIFs were sold and the rest were consumed within the fisher community to meet part of their nutritional needs. According to the fishers’ perception, a reduction of more than 50% in the availability of the SIF population was observed compared to its previous levels. The proposed governance model emphasizes women’s roles in the fisher community and aims to improve economic outcomes, nutritional security, biodiversity conservation, and ecological services. This is the first study to document SIF utilization patterns and their link to local governance in the lower Gangetic ecoregion’s inland open waters. The findings are expected to advance wetland fisheries governance research.