Management of wetland resources in the lower Mekong Basin: issues and future directions

The Lower Mekong Basin has extensive wetlands and these are being threatened by numerous problems. Most of these problems are interdependent and interact with one another. The lack of an appropriate definition of wetlands applicable to the region, pervasive inefficiencies and chronic lack of funds among riparian governments, and the poor appreciation of the true economic importance of wetlands and its resources are among the most prominent. The current definition, based on the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971), is too broad when compared to the understanding of wetlands as being swamps, marshes and the like, and was developed specifically for wetlands with international importance as waterfowl habitats. Furthermore, wetlands are composed of different types of resources, which require different modes of management. Often, institutional competition, overlapping mandates and sometimes jealousies occur between government departments when they try to assert their authority on a particular wetland resource and use, and put forward their development plans without considering how these may conflict with other wetlands uses. Finally, effective wetland management requires reliable statistics or information on rate of harvest of natural resources such as fish and others, fishing/harvesting methods over time in order to determine the level of exploitation, and the status of the natural resources. This information is needed to identify opportunities for expansion, to establish historical trends, and to determine when management interventions are necessary to protect the resources from being overused by other developments. In order to address these issues, ICLARM - The World Fish Center has launched a project, the aim of objectives of which are described in this paper.

Improvement of traditional shrimp culture in the Mekong Delta

Improvements to traditional brackishwater shrimp culture in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam are discussed. A technical support program has been implemented based on a so-called improved extensive shrimp culture method, as previously developed and tested by the Artermia and Shrimp Research and Development Center (ASRDC). The program focuses on: 1) the use of hatchery-produced postlarvae (of Penaeus monodon and P. merguinensis) nursed for three to four weeks, and 2) the application of low-cost pond management practices including predator control, supplementary feeding and frequent water renewal. A credit program, managed as a revolving fund was made available. A dialogue among participating farmers was encouraged through the organization of group meetings before and after each production cycle.

"They Come, They Fish, and They Go:” EC Fisheries Agreements with Cape Verde and São Tomé e Príncipe

Fisheries agreements with the European Community (EC) are an important component of the fisheries sector in Cape Verde and São Tomé e Príncipe, constituting today a key source of income for the respective fisheries administration. In spite of this, and of the fact that these agreements have been renewed several times over the past decades, challenges remain in domains such as control and communication of fishing activities, follow-up of financial counterparts, and integration of European fleets’ operations with the Cape Verdean and Santomean economies. This paper analyzes the EC fisheries agreements with Cape Verde and São Tomé e Príncipe in terms of those domains, considering both the contents of the agreements and their practical implementation. The fisheries sector in each of these countries is reviewed, as are some of the fundamentals and criticisms of EC fisheries agreements. It is argued that the agreements with Cape Verde and São Tomé e Príncipe will not live up to the stated objectives of sustainability and responsibility in fisheries until improvements are made to the control of EC vessels, the follow-up of funds paid by the EC, and the size and diversity of benefits accruing to the fisheries and related sectors in the two countries

Estuarine use assessment: trial project in Casco Bay, Maine

The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is interested in developing a project to determine the health of estuaries based on the stated or desired uses of society. An estuarine use assessment could complement the National Coastal Assessment, which tracks coastal and estuarine health through a series of environmental indicators. These indicators are used to assign a “score” to each coastal region, with some indicators reflecting the ability of the region to support desired uses such as fishing and swimming. An estuarine use assessment could also provide valuable information to resource managers and other decision-makers as they face decisions about the optimal and most sustainable mix of activities in an estuary. An initial step of an estuarine use assessment would be to define and quantify the desired societal uses of the estuary. Society includes residents living near the estuary or industries relying on the estuary, seasonal residents and tourists that use the estuary on a more limited basis, and the public at-large that may use or value the estuary indirectly. The desired uses may include discrete, visible uses such as swimming, recreational or commercial fishing, and navigation. They also may extend to broader, more intangible uses such as maintaining ecological functions or aesthetic appeal. National legislation such as the Estuary Restoration Act, which promotes and funds the restoration of estuaries in the U.S., reflects the public’s desire for estuaries to retain their ecological structures and functions. This report summarizes a project carried out in 2003 that attempted to quantify the desired human uses of a specific estuary in Maine and to determine current measures of success used by coastal managers in Maine to track the ability of the estuary to support desired uses. Casco Bay was chosen as the spatial embayment for which to delineate uses, and nutrient enrichment was selected as the parameter for confirming assumptions about current measures of outcomes related to uses. The report highlights some of the challenges to completing an estuarine use assessment and offers general recommendations for addressing these challenges.

Technical and mapping support for marine spatial planning: Final report

Washington depends on a healthy coastal and marine ecosystem to maintain a thriving economy and vibrant communities. These ecosystems support critical habitats for wildlife and a growing number of often competing ocean activities, such as fishing, transportation, aquaculture, recreation, and energy production. Planners, policy makers and resource managers are being challenged to sustainably balance ocean uses, and environmental conservation in a finite space and with limited information. This balancing act can be supported by spatial planning. Marine spatial planning (MSP) is a planning process that enables integrated, forward looking, and consistent decision making on the human uses of the oceans and coasts. It can improve marine resource management by planning for human uses in locations that reduce conflict, increase certainty, and support a balance among social, economic, and ecological benefits we receive from ocean resources. In March 2010, the Washington state legislature enacted a marine spatial planning law (RCW §43.372) to address resource use conflicts in Washington waters. In 2011, a report to the legislature and a workshop on human use data provided guidance for the marine spatial planning process. The report outlines a set of recommendations for the State to effectively undertake marine spatial planning and this work plan will support some of these recommendations, such as: federal integration, regional coordination, developing mechanisms to integrate scientific and technical expertise, developing data standards, and accessing and sharing spatial data. In 2012 the Governor amended the existing law to focus funding on mapping and ecosystem assessments for Washington’s Pacific coast and the legislature provided $2.1 million in funds to begin marine spatial planning off Washington’s coast. The funds are appropriated through the Washington Department of Natural Resources Marine Resources Stewardship Account with coordination among the State Ocean Caucus, the four Coastal Treaty Tribes, four coastal Marine Resource Committees and the newly formed stakeholder body, the Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council.

Resiliencia en crestas de arrecifes coralinos del este del golfo de Batabanó, Cuba, y factores determinantes probables

RESUMEN Se comparó el grado de resiliencia de seis crestas arrecifales del este del golfo de Batabanó, Cuba. Tres fueron del norte del golfo de Cazones (Tramo Norte) y las restantes, del oeste de Cayo Largo (Tramo Sur). Las del primer tramo fueron las de faro Cazones, Norte de la cresta de cayo Diego Pérez y de faro Diego Pérez. Las otras tres fueron las de cayo Rico, arrecifes Los Ballenatos y arrecifes Hijos de Los Ballenatos. Se emplearon los indicadores biológicos del Protocolo AGRRA. El Tramo Norte presentó las crestas más resilientes, sobre todo la de faro Cazones. Las del Tramo Sur no exhibieron resiliencia. Fueron varios e interrelacionados, los factores aparentemente más determinantes en la resiliencia. Entre estos, cuatro se consideraron como fuerzas motrices: resguardo contra el oleaje, circulación habitual giratoria ciclónica en la ensenada de Cazones, entrada de nutrientes provenientes tanto de la ciénaga de Zapata como de aguas profundas, y abundancia del erizo herbívoro Diadema antillarum. Los demás factores, desencadenados por los anteriores y también interrelacionados, fueron, al parecer la menor afectación por oleaje y sedimentos, estabilización de fragmentos vivos de coral, índices favorables de macroalgas bentónicas, cierta retención de nutrientes y plancton, más alimentación heterotrófica de los corales, mayor auto reclutamiento de corales y del erizo Diadema; mejores condiciones para el asentamiento y viabilidad de los reclutas, y para el recapamiento de corales; mayor crecimiento y recuperación de los corales y mejores condiciones térmicas contra el blanqueamiento de corales ABSTRACT The degree of resilience of six reef crest sites was compared at the east of the Gulf of Batabano, Cuba. Three of them were located north of the Gulf of Cazones (Northern Stretch), while the remaining ones were west of Cayo Largo (Southern Stretch). Those of the Northern Stretch were “Faro Cazones”, north of the crest of cayo Diego Pérez and “Faro Diego Pérez”. The remaining sites were those of the cayo Rico, Los Ballenatos reefs, and Hijos de Los Ballenatos reefs. The AGRRA biological indicators were applied. The Northern Stretch presented the most resilient crests, mainly that of “Faro Cazones”. Those of the Southern Stretch did not reveal signs of resilience. Several interrelated factors were apparently more linked to resilience. Four of them were considered as driving forces: shelter from waves, usual cyclonic revolving water circulation in the Ensenada de Cazones, nutrient input from the Zapata swamp and deep water, and the abundance of the herbivore sea urchin Diadema antillarum. Triggered by these driving forces, the remaining factors apparently were less effect of waves and sediments, stabilization of live coral fragments, favorable benthic macro-algae indices, some retention of nutrient and plankton, increased coral heterotrophic feeding; better conditions for recruit settlement and viability, and for coral re-sheeting; faster coral growth and recuperation and better thermal conditions against coral bleaching.

National report of the frame survey 2010 on the Uganda side of Lake Victoria

This is a report on the results of the Frame Survey conducted in the Uganda side of Lake Victoria during August 2010 by the LVFO Institutions, namely: the Department of Fisheries Resources (DFR) Uganda and the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) in close collaboration with the District Fisheries offices of Busia, Bugiri, Mayuge, Jinja, Mukono, Kampala, Wakiso, Mpigi, Masaka, Kalangala and Rakai. The authors are grateful to the LVEMP II, for providing funds for the survey and the LVFO secretariat coordination. Fisheries Frame surveys have been carried out on Lake Victoria biannually since 2000 to determine the number of fishers, fish landing sites, and facilities at the landing sites, as well as the composition of fishing crafts, their mode of propulsion, fishing gears and the fish species they target. This information is used to guide development and management of the lake’s fisheries. Following the reorganisation of landing sites into Beach Management Units (BMUs), the number of landing sites decreased from 597 in 2000 to 435 in 2008. The survey in 2010 showed an increase to 503 landing sites, an indication that new landing sites are coming up. The fish landing sites continue to have inadequate facilities such as fish shades, cold rooms to service the fisheries industry and very few (5%) have access to electricity and 32% had access to all weather roads. There has been some progressive improvement in the landing site coverage of basic hygiene and sanitation facilities, especially public toilet facilities from 17% in 2000 to 39% in 2010; and portable water from 4% to 17% respectively. However more effort is required to cover all landing sites. Most landing sites (83%) have access to mobile phone networks which eases communication. 46% of landing sites had access to a Health clinic and 64% had a Primary school within a radius of 2 km.

Role of the state and financial institutions in financing the fishing industry

The experience of the Government in the recovery of loans for 28 foot mechanized vessels has been unsatisfactory. The author examines the various aspects which have contributed to this situation, and considers arrangements for financing purchase of such vessels. The risks associated with the investment in 38 foot vessels are high, and it seems that the reluctance of private investors to make the required contribution from personal funds is a result of fear of the unknown. Current incentives provided by the Government to the private sector for the purchase of 38 foot vessels are considered to be adequate.

Poor fish farmers' accessibility to credits: A review

Fisheries sector contributes about 5.3% to GDP and about 6% of the export earnings of Bangladesh. There are about 4.1 million ha of inland water bodies in Bangladesh. However, over last two decades the catch from inland capture fishery has decreased due to filling of wet lands and other anthropogenic reasons. Accordingly, the production of inland fish has decreased not only for the decrease of water bodies but also due to irrational catch of fish fries, brood fishes and use of current nets for fishing. Significant responses from the fisheries entrepreneurs have not been received for the small loan scheme of the Bangladesh Bank. The bank could not disburse more than Tk. 500 million under the scheme. The total revolving credit under the scheme was Tk. 1,000 million with the assistance from the World Bank. The business houses having fixed assets of value not more than Tk. 10 million will be eligible to borrow from this fund. About Tk. 0.2-5.0 million can be borrowed as term loan and working capital from Bangladesh Bank through commercial banks. The loan was given to the commercial banks at 5% interest (bank rate) and the commercial banks shall also bridge finance to the entrepreneurs at a lower rate of interest. Working capital time limit is for a maximum of 1 year with half yearly rest, mid-term loan maximum of 3 years in 5 installments and with 6 months grace period and long-term loan maximum of 5 years in 9 installments with 6 months grace period.

To borrow or not to borrow? The small fry's money problem

The money problem of the small fishfarmers is where to run to for much needed funds. In the Philippines, small-scale fisherfolk have traditionally relied on informal lenders in the absence of personal funds and access to bank credit.