Diminishing returns
Non-traditional fisherfolk have benefited more from fishing in Chilika lake than traditional fisherfolk. With conventional sources of fishery in the waterbody being increasingly converted into prawn culture sources, the earnings of fisherfolk have plummeted.
An extensive socio-economic survey carried out by the Bhubaneswar-based independent research institute Nabakrushna Choudhury Centre for Development Studies found that the per capita income of non-fisherfolk was Rs 5919 as against the Rs 4136 earned by fisherfolk. So far as the returns from culture source are concerned, non-fisherfolk earned 67.92 per cent while traditional fisherfolk received just 22.12 per cent.
According to an official, about 206 traditional fishery sources of Chilika have been converted in Puri district till now. These traditional sources have been further divided into 248 prawn culture sources.