Intra-occupational dynamics of aquatic occupation: A livelihood study of fishing community in the Indian sundarbans

Livelihood remains static while endogenous and exogenous contexts are in equilibrium. It becomes unstable due to change in one or more than one entities of exogenous context, and therefore seeks new strategy for survival. The self regulated mechanism of livelihood system always tries to maintain the balance between the entities. It can be regulated up to a threshold limit, but beyond the capacity of the system it adopts and adapts accordingly. Sometimes an individual opts for new strategies within the same occupation. This is quasi-self regulation mechanism known as intra-occupational mobility. In the Sundarbans fishing is viewed as a lifeline of people residing along the river sides. Since beginning of settlement development they were involved in subsistence fishing pursuits. However, with the increasing population competitions of collecting fishing resources increases and thereby people change their harvesting fields from shallow rivers to deep rivers or deep rivers to sea. This change simultaneously changes the mode of fishing operation and transforms economy from subsistence shared fishing to commercial fishing. The present article aims to highlight the changing scenario of fishing livelihood in the Indian Sundarbans and at the same time it tries to relate it with livelihood assets and livelihood contexts.