Economic Review of Fishermen and Fish Processing Practices in Rajnandgaon’s Sheonath River

Abstract

There are 1.64 million hectares of water accessible for fish farming in Chhattisgarh that need to be managed effectively for the benefit of the state's impoverished fishermen. In the Kabirdham district of Chhattisgarh, this research looked at the socioeconomic status of fishermen in two reservoirs, Saroda and Chhirapani, who rely entirely or in part on fishing for their livelihood. Small-scale fishers, fishing enterprises, and cooperatives in these reservoirs are evaluated in terms of socio-economic factors and success rates during the 2016-17 fishing season. A total of 83 fishermen from six distinct fishing communities were interviewed for the study. The majority of fisherman (38.6%) were found to be between the ages of 31 and 40, with bigger families (4-6). On both locations, 46.6% of fisherman lacked any formal education above the secondary level, while just 17% had a college degree or higher. Katcha (67 percent), semi-pucca (22) and pucca (22 percent) are the most common types of housing for fisherman (11 percent). LO fisherman have an annual family income of Rs 1796-566888 on average, while LL fishermen make an annual household income of Rs 8407-36990 on average, both of which are far below the poverty line. The majority of LO farmers work in agriculture, with aquaculture as a supplementary source of income. Farmers and aquaculture workers make up the majority of LL fishermen's secondary professions. Fish farming has the potential to enhance a person's socioeconomic status.