For generations, fish drying in the Sundarbans islands, located in Indian state of West Bengal, has been an essential source of livelihood for thousands. Concerns surrounding environmental damage and smuggling lead to a ban in 1996 on fishing and fish-drying activities on Jambudwip and other surrounding islands.
Seasonal fishing and fish drying continues in the Sundarbans, although more than 25,000 Bengalis remain at risk of losing their jobs, and being forced to seek manual labor on other islands.
Additional reporting by European Pressphoto Agency