Night Fishing, Drinking Water Scarcity and Livelihood Sustainability: Lessons from Loktak Lake, Manipur

Deeply entrenched in the cultural ethos of the Meiteis, the Loktak Lake since time immemorial is the cradle of human civilization in Manipur especially to those inhabiting in and around the lake. The lake also plays a pivotal role in Moirang Kangleirol or the songs of the Moirang Kingdom which depicts the history, culture and folklore of the people. Considering its historical, ecological and economic significance, the lake was designated as a Ramsar site in 1990. The lake is the primary source of livelihood for fisher folks as the lake accounts for more than 50% of the total fishing area of the state. Apart from fishing, the lake is also the source of various aquatic edible plants and a tourist hot spot. However, anthropogenic activities coupled with the commissioning of the Loktak hydro-electric power project in 1983 have adversely impacted the ecosystem of the lake over the years. The study focuses on the practice of ‘night fishing’ which increases the quantity of fish caught but affects the overall ecosystem of the lake. The main objectives of the study are to analyse the technique of evolving ‘night fishing’ and to observe its impacts on the livelihood and ecosystem of the lake. The study also attempts to analyse the reasons for adopting night fishing and benefits of employing it. An exploratory research design was adopted and both quantitative and qualitative data gathered from the fisher folks. A total of 156 fishers participated through a household survey while informal interviews were conducted from the study site. The respondents for the household survey were chosen using a random sampling technique. The study found that the practice of ‘night fishing’ immensely increases the number of fish caught and the fisher folks are unaware of its potential threat to the lake.