Study of fishers’ socioeconomic and cultural profile around the Loktak lake of Manipur, India

Abstract

Fishing is an ethnic occupation of the inhabitants around the Loktak lake of Manipur. Study of fishers’ socioeconomic and cultural profile around the Loktak lake of Manipur was carried out in five villages around the Loktak lake of Manipur which were selected by adopting a case study cum survey method. The study revealed that 44 percent of the fishermen belonged to the old age, 58.67 percent had family size of more than 5 members, 88 percent had medium level of scientific orientation, 36 percent had annual income between Rs 20001-30000, 38.67 percent had 11-20 years of fishing experience, 34 percent of the fishers had middle school and 34 percent had high school level of education. Gender disparities and early marriage system were not found. Fishers were also found to have rich traditional knowledge regarding fishing. Religious institutes dominate the social structure and the fishers had given most important consideration on respect for old age among all other social values. The fishers spent highest annual expenditure i.e 30.96 percent for fishing activities. About 46 percent of the fishers were found to have credit amount of less than Rs. 5000 where poor fishermen act as borrowers and relatively well off fishermen as lenders.