Inland Fisheries

6.2.7 Beel fisheries in Assam

Assam is gifted with many extensive water bodies commonly known as beels that are the only source of fish for the poor people in the surrounding villages. Historically there have been three distinct groups of people involved in organized fishing in the beels: (i) those who catch fish for their own daily consumption; (ii) those belonging to the fisher community and depend on fishing for their livelihood; and (iii) rural entrepreneurs (lease holders). Ordinary people usually fish daily for food, while fishers are full-time operators working independently or under the lessees. The lessees further auction the leases to the fishers and provide capital at usurious rates of interest to them.