Assam: Fishing value of Son Beel 4 times that of Deepor Beel, say experts

Guwahati: How much is Son Beel, the largest wetland of Assam valued at? A study carried out by Kanchan Baran Singha, N. B. Singh and K. Gyanendra Singh of the National Institute of Technology Silchar and National Institute of Technology, Mizoram, has estimated the total economic value (TEV) of Son Beel at Rs 561,088,074 (USD 6,769,140.46) per annum or Rs 97,242.30 (USD 1,173.16) per household per year with fishing as the primary contributor. Its value is around 84.53 per cent of the TEV of the wetland, followed by duck rearing, water transport, tourism, paddy cultivation, biodiversity conservation, and future use. The study has been published in the  Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources. 

The authors have adopted the market price method, travel cost method, and contingent valuation method for the economic valuation of Son Beel.

Wetlands provide the world’s most productive products and services (PAS) for economic purposes. Wetlands are important for fishing, agriculture, biodiversity, and recreational activities. The fishing communities of the Son Beel area have been associated with the wetland for generations, and they depend on the wetland for their livelihood.