Age and length composition of Columbia Basin chinook, sockeye, and coho salmon at Bonneville Dam in 2002

In 2002, representative samples of migrating Columbia Basin chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), sockeye (O. nerka), and coho salmon (O. kisutch) adult populations were collected at Bonneville Dam. Fish were trapped, anesthetized, sampled for scales and biological data, revived, and then released. Scales were examined to estimate age composition; the results contributed to an ongoing database for age class structure of Columbia Basin salmon populations. Based on scale analysis of chinook salmon, four-year-old fish (from brood year [BY] 1998) comprised 86% of the spring chinook, 51% of the summer chinook, and 51% of the bright fall chinook salmon population. Five-year-old fish (BY 1997) comprised 13% of the spring chinook, 43% of the summer chinook, and 11% of the bright fall chinook salmon population. The sockeye salmon population at Bonneville was predominantly five-year-old fish (55%), with 40% returning as four-year-olds in 2002. For the coho salmon population, 88% of the population was three-year-old fish of age class 1.1, while 12% were age class 1.0. Length analysis of the 2002 returns indicated that chinook salmon with a stream-type life history are larger (mean length) at age than the chinook salmon with an ocean-type life history. Trends in mean length over the sampling period for returning 2002 chinook salmon were analyzed. Chinook salmon of age classes 1.2 and 1.3 show a significant increase in mean length over the duration of the migration. A year class regression over the past 14 years of data was used to predict spring, summer, and bright fall chinook salmon population sizes for 2003. Based on three-year-old returns, the relationship predicts four-year-old returns of 54,200 (± 66,600, 90% predictive interval [PI]) spring chinook, 23,800 (± 19,100, 90% PI) summer, and 169,100 (± 139,500, 90% PI) bright fall chinook salmon for the 2003 runs. Based on four-year-old returns, the relationship predicts five-year-old returns of 36,300 (± 35,400, 90% PI) spring, 63,800 (± 10,300, 90% PI) summer, and 91,100 (± 69,400, 90% PI) bright fall chinook salmon for the 2003 runs. The 2003 run size predictions should be used with caution; some of these predictions are well beyond the range of previously observed data.

Institutional support for freshwater aquaculture development: a study of Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh, India

The aquaculture sector has been playing an increasingly dominating role in Indian fisheries scenario since the last two and half decades. Introduction of induced breeding and composite fish culture (CFC) technologies has changed the freshwater aquaculture sector in India. Institutional support has been one of the most crucial aspects in all fisheries development programs, more so in the Indian context where most of fish farmers are socially and economically weak. The innovation of CFC technology in freshwater aquaculture sector in the early seventies generated the need for adequate and effective institutional support to farmers. Under the freshwater aquaculture development program, the Fish Farmers Development Agencies (FFDA) have been established at district level to provide technical and extension support to the farming community besides arranging ponds on lease and supply of seeds. In addition to above, FFDAs are also expected to arrange loans from banks and provide subsidies. Thus, FFDAs are meant to provide institutional support to fish farming community in the country. In view of the above, an effort was made to study the adequacy and effectiveness of institutional support provided by the FFDA, Mirzapur for the development of aquaculture in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh {U.P.), India. Study reveals that leasing of ponds for fish farming has been favourable to economically weaker sections of societies while bank loan accessibility is more for those having relatively higher economic status. Though the FFDA, Mirzapur performed well in providing training to potential fish farmers and creating awareness about fish farming, its effectiveness could not be equally seen in seed supply.

Disease problems in shrimp sector in Khulna district of Bangladesh: a question of sustainability

Disease is the main restraining factor for the development of shrimp sector in Bangladesh. Both brackish water shrimp bagda (Penaeus monodon) and freshwater prawn golda, (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) farming in Bangladesh have been facing disease problem. A study on disease outbreak in both brackish water and freshwater small-scale shrimp farms (gher) in Khulna district was carried out through interviewing randomly selected 3-5% of shrimp farmers with a structured questionnaire during March to December, 2002. The study showed that 97% bagda farming ghers and 80% golda farming ghers were affected by disease. White spot disease was the severe disease for bagda, whereas, antenna rot was the main disease for freshwater prawn. Change of water and liming were carried out as control measures of disease for bagda shrimp farming, while it was only liming for golda farming. A small number of shrimp farmers (15%) used chemicals for treatment of shrimp diseases. Development of suitable farming technology to prevent disease contamination and innovation of proper treatments for diseases are required to overcome the disease problems for sustainable shrimp farming in Bangladesh.

Community Based Fisheries Management (CBFM) in Sunamganj district of Bangladesh: the nature of cooperation and conflicts

There are altogether 411 haors comprising an area of about 8000 square kilometer, covering 25% of entire region dispersed in the districts of Sunamgonj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Hobigonj, Netrokona and Kishoreganj. Sunamganj district is particularly known as a district of haors and baors where a large number of people depend on fishing for their livelihood. Some people are basically fishermen and fish all the year round. Community Based Fisheries Management (CBFM) project has been initiated in this area to develop fishery sector as well as for the development of the inland fishermen of haor area. Healthy cooperation among the beneficiaries of the project is very much present and some NGOs are found working actively there to help the fishermen for the sound implementation of the project. But the influentials of different villages around create troubles and conflicts intentionally in the project area because of which fishermen cannot fish smoothly and the implementation of the project is getting hampered. Therefore, a kind of consensus needs to be reached among the inhabitants of the haor area and a powerful association of the fishermen should be established so that fishing may be undertaken in the beel without having any troubles and conflicts. In this article the conflicts and cooperation that are in existence in the implementation process of CBFM project in the haor areas of Sunamgonj district have been discussed. Some suggestions have been offered in the paper to overcome the existing conflicts impeding the smooth implementation of CBFM project in the fishery sector of haor area under Sunamganj district.

A study on the fish fauna of Coorg District, Karnataka

Some 35 species of fishes were collected from 57 localities spread in various taluks of Coorg district of Karnataka State. Four species of fishes which are rare and restricted to this region are recorded after a lapse of several years. A number of species of Puntius, namely, P. arulius arulius, P. arulius tamraparniei, P. pulchelus, P. micropogon , P. conchonius, P. vittatus, P. parrah, P. sarana, P. sophore, P. chola, P. denisonii were observed. Cold water species namely, Barilius bakerii, B. vagra vagra, B. gatensis, B. canarensis are recorded. Maximum number of species (13) were met in Ramthirtha stream at Poochkal.