Man Bahadur Majhi of Bhimtar, Sangachowk, said it has been difficult to find fishes in the rivers since three years ago. The fishermen claim that fish population has depleted with people from other communities also taking to fishing and using unsustainable technologies.
They said the practice of catching fishes through electrocution and pouring poison in the rivers has threatened their occupation. Man Bahadur, who had been earning livelihood by selling fishes, said, “Using electric current and poison prevents fishes from breeding fries. How would the fish population last?”
Masali Majhi of Shikharpur said that in the past a lot of fishes would get caught in the nets. "But these days, it is hard to find more than 10 fishes even after spending a whole day in the river," she said, adding, "The fishes are declining in the river, and we don´t have lands to switch to agriculture."
Communities of fishermen live along the banks of Indrawati, Melamchi, Balephi, Bhotekoshi and Sunkoshi rivers spread across over a dozen VDCs. Among other VDCs inhabited by the communities are Sangachowk, Bhotsipa, Bandegaon, Shikharpur, Jyamire, Batase and Kadambas. The fishermen have depended on the traditional line of work for generations, and are left behind in terms of economic, social and educational status.
It is estimated that over 10,000 members of the fishing community live in the districts, for whom catching and selling fishes is the only stable source of income.
Leaders of the community such as Bal Bahadur Majhi, who became first from the community to become a teacher in his district, says use of inappropriate fishing methods is putting the fishing community in danger. They say use of such techniques should be banned. With fishes becoming rare, many fishermen have started working as daily wage laborers.
Related story
When the bully is the boss
