An Option for Sustainable Management of Fishery Resources in Deepor Beel Co-management Approach Sujan M. Henkanaththegedara ECS 740: Fall 2007

Outline Current status of the fishery –Composition & Production –Fishery regulation Problems –Unsustainable fishing practices –Declaration of Wildlife Sanctuary –Potential impacts of aquaculture Possible solutions Community based co-management

Fishery Resources 61 freshwater fish species (Saikia 2005) 54 indigenous; 5 exotics 8 protected species (Wildlife protection Act, 1972) 20 economically important 11 collect for ornamental trade Labeo calbasu Brachydanio rerio Nandus nandus

Expectation: 90,000 tons/ year (Goswami and Choudhury 1990) Harvest: 245 kg/hectare (980 tons) Comparatively very high yield (AFDC, Assam) Fishery Production © Saikia, P A 2005

Fisher Community Traditional fishery More than 5000 people/1200 families depend on the fishery Community fishing during winters. © Saikia, P A 2005

Fishery Regulation Authority –Assam Fisheries Development Corporation –State Fisheries Department Lease government parts for commercial fishery Private land owners also lease their private land

New Proposals Development of pen and cage culture for the rearing and propagation fish (Gauhati University, Assam) Government Authority and some interested parties propose aquaculture in fringe areas Declaration of Deepor Beel as a Wildlife Sanctuary

Problems Identified 1.Unsustainable fishing practices 2.Declaration of Wildlife Sanctuary 3.Possible impacts of garbage dumping 4.Impacts of siltation 5.Possible impacts of exotic fish 6.Conservation implications for protected species 7.Potential impacts of aquaculture

Problems Identified 1.Unsustainable fishing practices 2.Declaration of Wildlife Sanctuary 3.Possible impacts of garbage dumping 4.Impacts of siltation 5.Possible impacts of exotic fish 6.Conservation implications for protected species 7.Potential impacts of aquaculture

Unsustainable fishing practices Impacts –Harmful fishing methods (eg. small mesh size) –Potential overharvesting (small size of fish, possibly collapse the fishery) Possible solutions –Closed areas/closed seasons –Ban harmful fishing methods –Close monitoring of illegal fishing –Fisheries co-management (Myers et al. 1997; Hambright and Shapiro 1997 )

Declaration of Wildlife Sanctuary Impacts –Limitations to the fishery –Serious conflicts between local people and government –Social and economical problems in local communities Possible Solutions –10-20% core wildlife sanctuary –Rest- Reserved wetland (human activities permitted up to some extent)

Potential impacts of aquaculture Impacts –Introduction of exotic species –Pollution –Eutrophication (mass fish kills!) Possible Solutions –A proper cost-benefit analysis –If necessary, based on native species –If necessary, locate beyond the fringe areas

What to do? Beel fishery is still UNDERUTILIZED. Need to manage the fishery PROPERLY, –To meet maximum sustainable yield (MSY) –To improve the living standards –To fulfill the local protein requirement –To reduce the unemployment What is the need of AQUACULTURE?

What is Co-management? A partnership arrangement between, –Government agencies –Local fisher community –NGOs –Other stakeholders Share the responsibility and authority for the management of a fishery. Integrate local (informal, traditional) and government management systems. Power-sharing between government and fishermen (Pomeroy 1998).

What is Co-management? Fishers Government Assam Fish. Dev. Cooperation State Fish. Dept. Fisheries Stakeholders Boat owners Fish traders Money lenders External Agent Aarnayak Gauhati University Local stakeholders Tourism Transportation Fisheries Management Modified after Pomeroy 1998

Co-management Resource-oriented studies to define fishery regulations Monitoring the fishery Implementing fishery regulations Organize fisheries co-operative society Enhance fish production and improve living standards Active government or NGO mediation Maintenance of fisheries co- operative society Proper regulation of fishing permits Banning harmful fishing methods Social welfare Modified after Amarasinghe and De Silva 1999

Acknowledgements Dr. Achintya N. Bezbaruah, Civil Engineering Department, NDSU for his guidance and support Dr. Prasanta Kumar Saikia, Department of Zoology, Gauhati University, India for kind sharing of data Fellow colleagues for their valuable inputs

References cited Amarasinghe, U.S. and S.S. De Silva Sri Lankan reservoir fishery: a case for introduction of a co-management stratergy. Fisheries Management and Ecology. 6: Goswami, B. and A.S. Choudhury Deepor Beel- A gold mine for socio-economic upliftment. Press release. INSTER/ Deepor III/ 89- Misc. 3pp. Hambright, K. D. and J. Shapiro The 1993 collapse of the Lake Kinneret bleak fishery. Fisheries Management and Ecology. 4: , Myers, R. A., J. A. Hutchings and N. J. Barrowman Why do Fish Stocks Collapse? The Example of Cod in Atlantic Canada. Ecological Applications. 7: Pomeroy, R. S A process for community-based fisheries co- management. Naga. January-March. ICLARM Saikia, P.K Qualitative and quantitative study of lower and higher organisms and their functional role in the Deepor Beel ecosystem. 96 pp. Accessed in 11/28/07 Accessed in 12/08/07 Accessed in 12/08/07

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