The study presents a comprehensive account of socio-ecological aspects of the fisheries and its management in Vidur reservoir in Northern Tamil Nadu. It relies on and analyses both primary and secondary data sources on fisheries, fishers and governance. Vidur is a medium reservoir with total water spread area of 1951 acres of which about 75% is dry lands. The land is rocky from the surface itself in the reservoir. Even after being one of the shallowest reservoir (as shallow reservoirs in general are highly productive) in India, primary productivity in the reservoir is very poor. Surprisingly, plankton development did not happen even during the initial years of sealing.
Statistical analysis of fish catch data for the past 25 years revealed that Indian Major Carps i.e. IMC (52%) forms the major fishery in the reservoir followed by Tilapia (39%), Non-IMC High Value fishes (7%) and Non-IMC Low Value fishes (2%). The study has confirmed that continuous stocking of IMC seed could change the species composition favourably over the years. Optimum fish seed stocking intervention by the Tamil Nadu State Fisheries Department (TNSFD) has led to replacement of the relatively low value but once dominant unstocked Tilapia fishery, leading to overall increased fish production in the reservoir.
Licensing system was followed till 2013 in the reservoir wherein fishers/ fishing units who are members of the cooperative society were given licences by TNSFD for fishing. They were paid on monthly basis in accordance with the catch sharing system wherein TNSFD and fishers shared the catch at 2:1 ratio for stocked fishes and at 1:1 ratio for unstocked fishes. In the year 2013, for the first time in the reservoir's existence, it was leased out to successful bidder for a period of five years on competitive basis to sustainably exploit its fishery resources. Unlike most other reservoirs in Tamil Nadu, fishers here use truck tyre tubes to fish as they feel tubes to be more convenient as compared to coracles for individual fishing. Considering the seasonal drying of reservoir, the TNSFD has also proposed the unique concept of erecting "baby ponds" in the reservoir to ensure species diversity through stock enhancement as well as availability of fishes in the dry season.