Wetland restoration for sustainable fisheries

The Assam cabinet’s approval of the Asian Development Bank-funded Rs 796-crore Sustainable Wetland and Integrated Fisheries Transformation (SWIFT) is excellent news for both wetland conservation and fisheries development in the state. Wetlands provide critical ecosystem services by feeding rivers, which 90% of the local population relies on for fish; as the population and freshwater increase, these wetlands also sustain fish and other aquatic life, offering fishermen a sustainable livelihood avenue. The floodplain wetland retains silt and debris carried by stormwater and releases filtered water through outlets connected to the rivers. As the sedimentation load continues to accumulate, the wetland gradually loses its storage and filtration capacity, eventually reducing to a shallow basin that cannot effectively moderate rainwater discharge. When the ecosystem of a wetland is robust, it also plays a crucial role in preventing urban flooding. However, the encroachment and cutting of wetlands lead to the clogging of outlets and the severing of their river links, resulting in a loss of capacity to buffer urban floods. The loss of filtration capacity increases turbidity in wetland water, making it difficult for fish to navigate while preying or escaping from predators. A decline in fish populations directly impacts the livelihoods of traditional fishermen, while the demand-supply gap in a state like Assam, where 90% of its population consumes fish, also widens with an increase in population and a rise in disposable income. Besides, degradation of wetland ecosystems and decline of fish and other aquatic populations also adversely affect the arrival of migratory birds. The ecotourism potential of wetland landscapes can be unlocked when the arrival of winged visitors during winter attracts nature lovers to enjoy the immersive experience of vibrant birdlife and serene waterscapes. The wetland ecosystem remaining vibrant is essential for the sustainability of ecotourism activities. Unlocking ecotourism activities can also substantially increase the household economy in areas with important wetlands, which, in turn, can reduce fishing pressure due to the diversification of livelihoods, allowing fish stocks to rebound and the wetland landscape to become resilient. Untreated sewage water discharged into rivers and streams that flow into wetlands is a major cause of ecological degradation due to rising pollution levels in the water. The alarming rise in ecological degradation at Deepor Beel, located on the outskirts of Guwahati, is primarily due to the discharge of sewage water into the wetland, which highlights the deepening crisis of wetland management. Thus, protecting the wetland ecology from urban wastewater discharge is directly linked to preserving water quality for fish stock conservation and ensuring seasonal return of wide varieties of migratory birds and can be a core activity under the ADB-funded project. The project proposes to cover 102 wetlands across 25 districts, aiming for three clear outcomes: strengthening institutional capacity and governance for sustainable wetland ecosystems, developing community-based fisheries and diversifying income avenues for wetland communities, and planning and managing wetland conservation and restoration. The project has correctly emphasised that increasing fish stocks in the wetlands can significantly unlock their yield potential to an optimal level. As wetlands are the natural habitat of many indigenous fish species, rejuvenating their ecosystems can help conserve many of these species. Due to the declining population of some indigenous fish species, the widening demand-supply gap has inflated their prices, making them unaffordable for many consumers despite their inclusion in traditional cuisines and the rich traditional knowledge surrounding their nutritional and medicinal values. Strengthening regulatory measures to prevent the rearing of invasive species is vital to ensure that efforts to increase fish production are not exploited by unscrupulous and gullible fishermen to rear such invasive and banned species. Large quantities of banned Thai catfish, an invasive species, have been repeatedly seized from various regions of Assam, highlighting the institutional shortcomings in surveillance and enforcement against this illegal practice. Apart from strengthening enforcement of regulatory norms, building community awareness is also essential to curb such illegal practice. Aligning the project activities with flood management and urban wastewater management is vital to ensure an integrated approach to rejuvenating wetlands, which will help keep the rivers clean, increase fish stocks, and ensure sustainable income for fishermen. Often, highly engineered solutions add to the core problem instead of addressing it. Desilting wetlands involves deploying excavators and other mechanised equipment, but these interventions inherently carry the risk of increasing the turbidity of wetland water and require the efficient removal of silt from wetland catchment areas so that the pile of removed silt does not block water flow. If the removed silt is left on the wetland bank, it will be redeposited into the wetland during the rainy season, resulting in wasted funds used for desilting. The project, which creates space for the incorporation of traditional knowledge and practices among local communities for the management of wetlands, is essential to achieving sustainable outcomes. The outcomes of the project will be considered meaningful only when the capacity of institutions and communities is built to manage long-term conservation of the wetlands after the project period is over.