An Economic Analysis of Gill Net Employed along the Tulmulla Stream of District Ganderbal, Kashmir
Junaid Ahmad Khan *
Divsion of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Rangil, Ganderbal, India.
Tasaduq Hussain Shah
Divsion of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Rangil, Ganderbal, India.
Farooz Ahmad Bhat
Divsion of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Rangil, Ganderbal, India.
Nasir Husain
Division of Social Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Rangil, Ganderbal, India.
Adnan Abubakr
Division of Aquatic Environment Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Rangil, Ganderbal, India.
Tariq Hussain Bhat
Division of Post-Harvest Technology, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Rangil, Ganderbal, India.
Imran Khan
Division of Agri Statistics, SKUAST-K, Shalimar, India.
Syed Talia Mushtaq
Divsion of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Rangil, Ganderbal, India.
Arizo Jan
Divsion of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Rangil, Ganderbal, India.
Zaheer Abass
Divsion of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Rangil, Ganderbal, India.
Tamana Latief
Divsion of Fisheries Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries, SKUAST-K, Rangil, Ganderbal, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study investigates the economic viability of gill net fishing operations along the Tulmulla stream in District Ganderbal, Kashmir. Data were collected from 50 licensed fishers across five villages using a pre-tested survey schedule. The economic analysis considered capital, fixed, and variable costs, alongside earnings and profitability indices. The finding conformed that the average annual net income per fisher was ₹75,584.57, with a net operational income of ₹83,073.36 and a high benefit-cost (B:C) ratio of 5.21, affirming the economic profitability of gill net fishing in the region. Family labour represented the largest share of variable costs, while vessels accounted for the majority of fixed capital investment. The report raises issues such declining fish catches as a result of pollution, overfishing, and regulatory infractions despite the high returns.
Keywords: Variable cost, fixed cost, BC ratio, gill net, tulmulla stream