Floodplain Wetlands of Ganga-Brahmaputra River Basins: Importance as Fishery Resources and Their Conservation Needs

Floodplain wetlands (FpWs) are unique fishery resources of India with an estimated area of 3,08,591 ha of which 1,28,209 ha lies in Northeast region of India. These water bodies generally have high biological productivity and are an important fishery resource providing livelihood and nutritional security to the wetland fishers in addition to many ecological functions. Capture fisheries and fisheries enhancements are the two management options suitable for different types of wetlands depending upon the level of human intervention in the production process. Fisheries enhancement has the potential to bring in qualitative and quantitative improvement in wetland fisheries through implementing specific management options ranging between extremes of capture fisheries and intensive aquaculture. Assam possesses 32.7% of India’s and 78.6% of Northeast’s wetlands. Fish yield from the wetlands managed by Assam Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd. (AFDC Ltd.) showed substantial increase from 1981 metric tonnes (MT) in 2009–2010 to 4964 MT in 2020–2021 registering a growth of 150.60%; the average fish yield also increased significantly from 207 kg/ha in 2009–2010 to 519 kg/ha in 2020–2021 registering a growth of 150.70%. It was evident that stock enhancement practices led to increased fish yield from the wetlands of Assam. However, conservation of floodplain wetlands is required by developing holistic management plan to benefit all the stakeholders and thereby minimize multiple-user conflicts common in such water bodies.