Study on socio-economic and educational status of fishermen of Bijnor district, Uttar Pradesh, India

Local aquaculture has arisen as a fast-growing inventiveness and a viable alternative to the decreasing capture fisheries. Carp culture has shown viable over the years in India. In Uttar Pradesh, carp culture is main backbone of freshwater aquaculture that accounts for around more than 90% of the total inland aquaculture production of Uttar Pradesh. The present study shows the socio-economic profiles of the fish farmers of eight villages of block Budhanpur of district Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. This study mostly emphases on their age, educational background, and experience in fisheries activities, fish production and species cultured. Present study divulges that majority of farmers are from age group of 45-50-year-old, have primary education followed by secondary educations and some old farmers have good experiences in fisheries activities for 15-20 years. This study also displays that the production of Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh is slightly lower than state average production. This study also novelties that the maximum cultured species of fish are Indian major carps and one or two species of Exotic major carps that have good marketing values and consumer’s preference. Although the farmers of block Budhanpur of district Bijnor of Uttar Pradesh cultured carps, size of the pond/farm, species cultured, fish seed procurement, nursery management, feed and feeding management, pond fertilization, source of information on aquaculture, fish seeds and disease treatment, awareness on aquaculture were noticed. Majority of the farmers in this block (60%) has undergone for full time aquaculture and few among them (30%) are participated as part time aquaculture. Fish contribution from this district to overall fish production of state can be improved through training programme by fisheries state department and their fisheries development schemes.