People’s Perception about Conservation of Fishery Resources Outside the Protected Water Bodies: A Case Study in Lakhimpur Khiri Distt. of U.P.

Abstract

India is blessed with rich diversity of fishery resources. However, over the years increasing human influence has led to the decline in fish diversity. Potential water areas are considered as a potential tool for conservation of fish diversity as they provide protection for fishes. It is important to know how these benefits are perceived by the local people who are dependent on these fishery resources. Ensuring local support for protected water areas is increasingly viewed as an important element of biodiversity conservation. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the perspective of the local people living around these protected water areas as this perspective would be of immense help to the planners, administrators and managers of the fishery resources. In this paper, findings of a case study of people’s perception about conservation of fishery resources outside the protected water bodies conducted in Lakhimpur Khiri district. of UP are discussed. It was found that thefishermen were aware of not only the decline of fishery resources, but also its causes and a few of the remedies. However, they were too occupied with earning a bare minimum livelihood amidst the declining fish catches, to undertake any resource enhancement or conservation measure. However, they were willing to cooperate in such endeavors .