Fisheries management of a sewage fed Gangetic floodplain wetland in the context of changing climate: A case study using multiple approaches

Abstract

The study deals with fisheries management in Chaltia, a sewage fed lower Gangetic floodplain wetland of West Bengal, in the context of changing climate. The study was conducted through primary investigation coupled with a stakeholder driven approach. All the respondents perceived rise in temperature, reduction in rainfall, and incidence of extreme events as increasing threats to the wetland fisheries. The water quality parameters indicated the highly productive nature of the wetland. The APC of bacteria ranged from 4950 to 5800 with an average value of 5350±720 CFU/ml. The trophic state index (67.7) indicated eutrophic nature. The fishers have adopted Pen culture utilizing fast-growing hardy species viz. Pangasianodon hypophthalmus and Oreochromis niloticus, converting the waste into blue carbon. The present fish yield realized through culture-based fisheries ( CBF) practices from Chaltia wetland is 4745 kg/ha/yr which is much higher than the average yield of wetlands of India. The study describes the SWOT analysis, discusses different approaches, and recommends important measures for sustainable management of ecosystem and fisheries of the sewage fed floodplain wetland.