Managing Chaur Fisheries in Bihar: An Analysis of Management Regimes, Conflicts and Institutional Options

The state of Bihar has about 35000 hectares of chaurs (floodplains) which have immense potential for development of culture-based fisheries. However, these resources are either unutilized or underutilized and productivity level is very low. The low yield is mainly due to poor management of these resources for fisheries development. This study has analysed different existing management regimes of chaur fisheries to suggest suitable institutional options for its better utilization. For study, data were collected though a survey conducted in the Samastipur district and data were collected from 180 land owners, 58 fishers, 26 members of cooperative societies and 8 officials of Directorate of Fisheries, Government of Bihar. The estimates of yield, income and employment generation have demonstrated the superiority of management of chaurs by an entrepreneur and informal group over the fishers/farmers’ cooperative; and unmanaged. Therefore, there is need to encourage formation of fishers groups or development entrepreneurships for better management of these resources. However, as per ‘Bihar Jalkar Adhiniyam, 2006’, the government water bodies are to be leased-out to fishers’ cooperative of the respective blocks and hence, there is need to amend the Act accordingly to facilitate their leasing to the informal groups of fishers or an entrepreneur also.