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In this archive story we are meeting a Fisherman in the city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh in India.
Read the background story of this archive photo by the photographer. |
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Water tourism is the second most important industry in Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India, where this fisherman portrait was taken by the photographer. Efforts has been been made to study the morbidity pattern of boatmen to find what type of illness they suffered the most and whether there was any association between type of boat and morbidity in Varanasi. Motor boats emitted smoke and therefore the boatmen developed bronchial complications. |
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Fishermen of India
Fishing and aquaculture in India has a long history. For centuries, India has had a traditional practice of fish culture in small ponds in Eastern India. Significant advances in productivity were made in the state of West Bengal in the early 19th century with the controlled breeding of carp in 'Bundhs' which are tanks or impoundments where river conditions are simulated.
How many kilometres of fishing area in India?
India has marine coastline, fishing villages and traditional fish landing centers and India's fresh water resources consist of almost 200,000 kilometers of rivers and canals and minor and major reservoirs as well as hectares of ponds and lakes and flood wetlands. The marine and freshwater resources offered a combined sustainable catch fishing potential of over 4 million metric tonnes of fish. |
Fishing is a way of life
The fishing industry in India is a major economic force, providing food and employment for millions of people across the country. Indian fishermen are some of the most experienced and knowledgeable in the world, with many having decades of experience in the trade. Fishing is a way of life for many in India, with generations of fishermen passing their expertise down from father to son. Fishing is done in both fresh and saltwater, with the majority of fishermen using traditional methods such as nets and rods. Many have adopted modern techniques such as using trawlers and other large vessels, as well as fish farms and aquaculture.
In recent years, there has been a large focus on sustainable fishing practices, with the introduction of various policies and regulations aimed at protecting fish stocks. Indian fishermen have been at the forefront of this, adapting their methods and techniques to ensure they are fishing responsibly. The Indian fishing industry is a major contributor to the country's economy, providing employment and food security for millions of people. It is estimated that around 5 million people are directly employed in the sector, with thousands more employed indirectly. Despite the success of the industry, there are a number of challenges facing Indian fishermen.
"Climate change is having a major impact on fish stocks, with overfishing and pollution also having a negative effect. Many fishermen are unable to access the resources and support they need to remain competitive and profitable"
A vital part of the country's economy
There is also a lack of access to markets and buyers, meaning fishermen often struggle to get the best price for their catch and this is an issue that needs to be addressed if the industry is to remain viable in the future. Overall, the fishing industry in India is a vital part of the country's economy, providing employment and food security for millions of people. With the right support and investment, it has the potential to become even more successful in the future.
Fishing in India is a major industry
As a travelerand photographer it is noticable that the fish culture has received notable attention in states such as Uttar Pradesh, where initiated fish culture through the establishment of fisheries departments. Indian central government initiated a dedicated organization focussed on fisheries as in this photograph. Brackishwater farming in India is also an age-old system confined mainly to the 'Bheries', which are manmade impoundments in coastal wetlands of West Bengal and 'Pokkali salt' resistant deepwater paddy fields along the Kerala coast. With no additional knowledge and technology input, except that of trapping the naturally bred juvenile fish and shrimp seed, these systems have been sustaining production levels of between 500 to 700 and 50 kilograms a year with shrimp contributing 20 to 25 percent of the total Indian production.
"Fishing in India is a major industry in its coastal states, employing over 14 million people and fish production in India has increased more than tenfold since its independence and as matter of fact the fish output in India doubled in two decades"
India is a major supplier of fish in the world
In addition, India's water and natural resources offer a tenfold growth potential in aquaculture, the so-called 'Farm fishing' from harvest levels of almost 4 million metric tonnes of fish, if India were to adopt fishing knowledge, regulatory reforms and sustainability policies over the last two decades. Shrimps are one of the major varieties exported. The giant tiger prawn is the dominant species chosen for aquaculture, followed by the Indian white prawn. Shrimp production from coastal aquaculture. Farmed shrimp accounted for about 60 percent of shrimp exported from the country. Marine and freshwater catch fishing combined with aquaculture fish farming is a rapidly growing industry in India.
Ten years ago India was the 6th largest producer of marine and freshwater capture fisheries and the second largest aquaculture farmed fish producer in the world. Fish as food, both from fish farms and catch fisheries, offers India one of the easiest and fastest way to address malnutrition and food security and despite rapid growth in total fish production, a fish farmers' average annual production in India is only 2 tonnes per person. Higher productivity, knowledge transfer for sustainable fishing, continued growth in fish production with increase in fish exports have the potential for increasing the living standards of Indian fishermen.
See this video about fishermen in India made by United Nations.
Fsh distribution was difficult in India
Lately, fish harvest distribution was difficult within India because of poor rural road infrastructure, lack of cold storage and absence of organized retail in most parts of the country. Lately, Indian fishers quickly overfished their own waters and production plummeted. But the present trend is encouraging for India with other seafood producing regions under stress. But the growth has also downsides to the fishermen of India.
"- As mentioned in the beginning of the story the boatmen of Varanasi has illnesses and they have also complained that due to pollution, accumulation of plastic down the river, dirt gets stuck in the motor and they have to get down in the water to fix the problem, remain wet in the boat until their destination is reached and the most common illness is common cold. Statistically significant association between type of boat and morbidity among boatmen was found", the Photographer says.
Read also: Bathing Ghat at Pushkar Lake
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India is a land full of stories. On every street, on every corner and in the many places in India, life is rushing by you as a photographer with millions of stories to be told. In the archive story above, you hopefully had a readable insight in the story that was behind the photo of a fisherman in Varanasi. On this website of Kristian Bertel | Photography you can find numerous travel pictures from the photographer. Stories and moments that tell the travel stories of how the photographer captured the specific scene that you see in the picture. The photographer's images have a story behind them, images that all are taken from around India throughout his photo journeys. The archive stories delve into Kristian's personal archive to reveal never-before-seen, including portraits and landscapes beautifully produced snapshots from various travel assignments. The archive is so-far organized into photo stories, this one included, each brought to life by narrative text and full-color photos. Together, these fascinating stories tell a story about the life in India. India, the motherland to many people around the world, a land of unforgetable travel moments. The archive takes viewers on a spectacular visual journey through some of the most stunning photographs to be found in the photographer's archive collection. The photographer culled the images to reflect the many variations on the universal theme of beauty and everyday life in India. By adding these back stories the photographer's work might immensely enhanced the understanding of the photographs.
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