Fish processing methods practiced by the people living in and around the Loktak Lake, Manipur, India.

Abstract

The people living in and around the Loktak lake, Manipur, India depended on the natural resources of the lake like fishes, prawn, mollusca, mussel, vegetable items, fodder, fuelwood, thatch grasses, medicinal plants and handicrafts materials for livelihood and income generation. In the present study household survey was conducted by selecting 50 fish processors living in and around the Loktak lake as respondents. It was found that illiteracy was high among the respondents and fishing and agriculture were the main occupation of the respondents. The respondents were poor with 50% of them earning in lower income range of Rs. 10,001 to 20,000/- . The people living in and around the Loktak lake used to catch high quantity of fishes from the lake and practiced different traditional fish processing methods. The present study tried to document the traditional fish processing methods used by the people living in and around the Loktak lake. Result found that a total of 20 species of fishes were found to be processed by the people using 6 methods i.e. Roasting (Arouba/Ayaiba), Fermentation (Ngari/Utong ngari), Fish paste (Hentak), Drying in sun (Yaiphou/Phabou), Roasting and Smoking after splitting (Ngaphak) and Smoking (Leirou). These fishes were processed to preserve them for longer time or to sell the processed fishes or used for consumption purposes. Decline in the fish processing methods because of degradation of the lake is observed. Conservation and sustainable management of the resources of the Loktak lake is highly suggested.