Socio-economic Status of Fishermen Population in the Vicinity of Vembanad Lake

Abstract

17,369 households in the vicinity of the Vembanad lake belong to the fishermen with a population of 95,182. The average size of each fishermen and non-fishermen household surveyed was found to be 5.48 and 5.42 respectively. 37.65% of the numbers of each fishermen family are employed either directly in fishing (25.2%), in fishery related activities (5.54%) or in non-fishery occupation (6.9%). The numerical strength of the active fishermen of the study area has become reduced to 84% of what existed earlier. The average household annual income showed variations from region to region, with a maximum of Rs. 1558 and a minimum of Rs. 158 and the avarage annual income of the whole region thus works out to Rs.6U7. Considering the total fish produced from the lake as the source of income for the fisherfolk of the study area, the average the household income works out to be Rs.1,313.