06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation

esistant varieties of rice, in areas where the salt
water enters the fields during the dry season. The
local names for the salt resistant variety of rice
are, 'Balunki' and 'Chakrakanda'.
The main threat to the resources of Bhitarkanika
is unsustainable, illegal extraction. Fishing is
prohibited, yet the locals are seen fishing. Timber
and fuel wood collection is prohibited, yet the
recently constructed huts are made of mangrove
wood. Increasing population (decadal growth rate
of + 13.25) that will depend on the same
"protected resources" will, in future lead to severe
conflicts on resource use.
Through integrated conservation and management
approaches the livelihood security of resident
populations could be greatly enhanced.
Understanding the complexities and diversity of
mangrove dependencies by caste, tribe and
Chilika Lake, a Ramsar Site, located on the East
Coast of Orissa, India is the largest brackish water
lagoon of Asia. The total area of the lagoon varies
from 89,100 ha during dry season (December -
June) to 116, 500 ha during rainy season (July -
October). Tbe lagoon is separated from sea, tbe
Bay of Bengal, by a sand bar of 60 km lengih with
two mouths opening into the sea, one natural at
Arakhakuda and the second artificial, opened on
September 23, 2000 at Sipakuda. Chilka Lake is
spread over three coastal districts of Orissa that
includes 2 notified area councils and 293 villages
distributed under seven blocks. According to the
1991 census the total population of the area is
about 2.25 lakhs. The lake with its rich
biodiversity, scenic beauty and cultural heritage
has been supporting the people of the region since
time immemorial. The ecosystem of the lake,
however, is under increasing natural and
anthropogenic threats due to heavy siltation,
choking of the mouths, decreasing salinity,
eutrophication, shrinkage of water area, loss of
biodiversity, and increasing human interference.
Chilka Lake
vii
gender, changes in the access and control dictated
by an 'outsider authority' is likely to have
different impacts to the user subgroups. To ensure
that the interests of the user subgroups are
protected, these groups/stakeholders should be a
part of the decision-making pr!!cesses. This
requires a clear commitment from the part of the
facilitating agency and all the stakeholders. The
role of Joint forest management, especially joint
mangrove management could be instrumental in
bringing together the aspirations of the most
dependent communities and those of the
Sanctuary Authorities. Complete information on
local, ecological, social, economic and political
context are lacking from the site. Such
information is essential to prepare a plan that
integrates conservation and local economic
development.
The status of Chilika Lake, therefore, is reviewed
on the basis of secondary information with respect
to remote sensing, limnology, population profile,
biodiversity profile, conservation values and
measnres. Fish and fishery constitute the
principal resource that determines the socioeconomics
of the people depending on the Chilika
Lake. Fishery, however, has been considerably
influenced by the economic liberalization initiated
in 1990s that boosted export and introduced
modernized techniques. There has been also
changes in policies relating to "capture and
culture" of fish/shrimp in Chilika that promoted
the entry of non-fishermen into fishery; eventually
resulting in marginalisation of the traditional
fishermen living on the resources from Chilika.
The report calls for more in-depth research on
fish, fishery, ecology, and exploration of
alternative bioresources that would augmeut the
socio-economics, particularly, of the less privileged
and weaker section of the people living in and
around the Cbilika Lake.
.1