EXPLOITATION OF MARINE FISHERY RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD OF MARINE FISHERMEN IN ORISSA

摘要

In the context of recent debate on environment development controversy on sustainable economic development through optimal use and conservation of resources draws much of attention of researchers and environmentalists. Evidences now suggest that both environment and development can go together if economic rationality is considered at the time of exploitation of the resource. One must be very careful in the exploitation of common property resource because it belongs to everybody and its uncontrolled overexploitation may lead to depletion of the resource itself. The present study seeks to examine the case of marine fishery resource in Orissa. The marine fishery resource is a common property resource exploited privately by large number of traditional marine fishermen with their country boats and the owners of mechanised boats. The study tries to address the issues on overexploitation of fishery resource, depletion ofstock and sustainability of livelihood of large number of traditional fishermen depending mainly on marine fishing. The estimate of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and the current level offish lending from the quadratic production function of mechanised boats reveals that fish lending by these boats has approached to the limit of MSY of 92.9 thousand tons per year. On the other hand, fish lending by traditional boats reveals that the rate of growth of catch is low and almost constant. But the estimates of Cobb-Douglas Production Function (CDPF) indicated that total fish catch has started declining exhibiting decreasing return to scale. If this common property resource is allowed to be exploited by free riders, then the depletion offish stock is not for ahead. The sustainability of the fisherman will be at a stake. Some fish species are on the verge of extinction due to overexploitation. The rational use of the resource through community based fishery management under some kind of government regulation is necessary for its sustainability.