Artisanal fisheries status and sustainable management options in Teknaf coast, Bangladesh

The study was an endeavor to bring forward a concise, factual description of the salient features of the present status of artisanal fisheries resources and its management for sustainable development of fishing communities in Teknaf coast, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. This study was conducted through 14 fishing villages of 4 Unions in Teknaf Upazila. As a hub of various fisheries deeds, a comprehensive coastal fisheries census, conducted on the coast during the study period, revealed that about 566 fishing fleet of two types, 1263 fishing gears of seven kinds, 6466 fishermen were being involved in fishing at Naaf river estuary. The catch composition of the coastal fishing was found 52 finfish species, 10 shrimp and 3 crabs. The unique potentialities provided by mostly affluent fisheries resources are needed to be tapped and channelized in the appropriate direction for maintaining a paragon of these fisheries resources of coastal area and for pursuing ecologically sustainable development via environment friendly intrinsic exploration and exploitation. “Community Based Fisheries Co-management” program should initiate immediately for the fisherman community of Naaf river estuary of Teknaf coastal region. This will go along way to help sustain the coastal fisheries resources with active participation of the fishermen

Human Resources Development for Sustainable Aquaculture in Bangladesh

The ennoblement of human resources has become a prime issue in the philosophy of sustainable aquaculture development in the new millennium.Being the planners, designers, conductors and philosophers of sustainable aquaculture, human beings always demand their further improvement at level best from their current positions to bring supreme success in the sector. As sustainable aquaculture is socio-economic –cum-environmental in concept, its operation and management requires constant interplay of various human knowledge for ensuring its smooth direction and for achieving its goal. So, the arrangement of different types and levels of training and education are the great need for the development of personnel involved in sustainable aquaculture route and also for growing awareness of environmental issues. The modus operandi of training and education has to be changed systematically to answer the calls of the needs of the new millennium. In the developing and developed countries where aquaculture plays a vital role in promoting production of aquatic organisms, alleviating of poverty, ensuring environmental compatibility, replenishing and improving the natural stocks, increasing socio-economic upliftment through integrated development approach, developing and managing the aquatic resources, maintaining gene banks and preserving the diversity of fish stocks, it has been already proved that Human resources development (HRD) is inevitable to bring sustainable aquaculture and plays a great role in the flourishment of the system . Different types and levels of training of personnel required for sustainable aquaculture in the new millennium are brought forward in the study. The importance of human resources development (HRD) through specialized training to the personnel is also depicted.

Freshwater prawn fry production and delivery process: key to sustainable aquaculture development for Bangladesh

This study was conducted to identify a functioning fingerlings production and delivery system for a sustainable aquaculture development. Data were collected from 234 respondents randomly sampled from a population of 600 fish farmers. Results indicated that farmer-to-farmer was the major source of fingerlings production and distribution system. Although this source accessed disadvantaged groups like the rural based, resource poor, less educated and women, it lacked knowledge on how to produce good quality fingerlings. These results suggest that a decentralized and privatized fingerlings production and delivery system should be promoted. For this system to operate effectively the aquaculture department should first identify potential zones for aquaculture growth and profit motivated fingerlings producers and distributors. Furthermore, the institutional mechanism through which farmer-to-farmer will operate should be identified and strengthened through short and long term training programmes. The government should support the system by providing guidelines for good quality fingerlings management; maintain brood stock parents and technical training in Bangladesh.

Environmental friendly aquaculture key to sustainable fish farming development in Nigeria

Aquaculture production in Nigeria has increased tremendously in recent times; along with this increase is the rise in the level of waste outputs from aquaculture practices. The discharge of waste from aquaculture operations on continuous basis leads to eutrophication and destruction of natural ecosystem in receiving water body. Controlled wastes production strategies is necessary to maintain sustainable aquaculture growth into the future, as long-term sustainability of fish culture systems depends on their ability to reduce their waste outputs. The release of solid wastes is mainly a function of the digestibility of various dietary components while the release of dissolved wastes is mainly a function of the metabolism of nutrients by the fish. This paper critically reviews the impacts of aquaculture wastes on the environment and the strategies to mitigate the effect of these impacts. Future trends and research needs on aquaculture induced effluents are outlined. As the amount of nutrient discharge is typically site and operation specific, effective farm management has been identified as the most important factor to avoid effluent pollution.

Environmental quality standards to protect identified uses of controlled waters: salmonid fisheries, cyprinid fisheries, migratory fisheries, commercial harvesting of marine fish for public consumption, commercial harvesting of shellfish for for public consumption

This report considers the development of environmental quality standards (EQSs) for the salmonid fishery, cyprinid fishery, migratory fishery, commercial harvesting of marine fish for public consumption and commercial harvesting of shellfish for public consumption uses of controlled surface waters. Previous reports have been used to identify those parameters necessary for the maintenance of these five uses. Each water use is considered in a separate section within which identified parameters are discussed and standards proposed, a summary of the proposed standards is presented at the beginning of the relevant section. For salmonid, cyprinid and migratory fisheries, EQSs for substances in water have been proposed for the protection of these fisheries. For the commercial harvesting of marine fish and shellfish for public consumption uses 'Warning Levels' of substances in waters have been proposed. These 'Warning Levels' have been proposed by considering data on bioaccumulation and food standards and aim to prevent acceptable intake values and concentrations in fish/shellfish flesh exceeding statutory or recommended levels. For the commercial harvesting of marine fish for public consumption it has been concluded that the current EQSs for most List II substances for the protection of salt water life should be adequately stringent to protect this use, however for the commercial harvesting of shellfish for public consumption, these List II EQSs do not appear adequate to protect this use and more stringent 'Warning Levels' have been proposed. For all five uses considered in this report there has been found to be limited information on a number of the parameters considered and in general for indigenous species, this has been found to be especially so when considering migratory fisheries and the commercial harvesting of marine fish and shellfish.

Simulating fisheries for the assessment of optimum harvesting strategies

Some results of a line of research explored by the author in recent years, and concerning the small-scale fisheries of Mexico are discussed. Clarity of goals for fisheries management is stressed as a departure point before taking any step towards model building. Age-structured simulation models require input data and parameters such as growth rates, natural mortality, age at first capture and maturity, longevity, the longest possible catch records series, and estimates of numbers caught per age group. The link between each cohort and the following can then be established by means of the Ricker stock recruitment or the Beverton-Holt models. Simulation experiments can then be carried out by changing fishing mortality. Whenever data on profits and costs and catch are available, these can also be analyzed. The use of simulation models is examined with emphasis on the benefits derived from their use for fisheries management.

Small water bodies for sustainable fisheries production

A brief account is given of some of the discussions presented at a workshop regarding reservoir fisheries in Asia held in Hangzhou, China in Oct 1990. The presentations covered the range of reservoir fisheries management options, from basic limnological research and capture fisheries to intensive cage culture. Particular reference is made to the situation in China, describing current techniques used for stocking and developing reservoir fisheries.

Estimating the maximum sustainable yield of bonito (Sarda chiliensis, Scombridae) of northern Chile from monthly catch data

Monthly catch data of bonito Sarda chiliensis from northern Chile, from 1976 to 1989, were used to obtain a series of estimates of the Z-G parameter (i.e., total mortality minus the growth coefficient in weight). This series was then used to estimate a maximum sustainable yield of 4,500 t/year through a modified version of the surplus production model of J. Csirke and J. Caddy. The status of the fishery is discussed.

Integration of aquaculture and agriculture: a route to sustainable farming systems

The integration of agriculture and aquaculture as a means of intensifying resource use and improving the productivity of many current farming practices in Southeast Asian and African countries is discussed. A brief account is given of work undertaken by ICLARM in Malawi and India regarding the improved use of marginal lands to integrate crops, vegetables, trees, livestock and fish, outlining also the various problems involved in the extension of such integrated fish farming systems.

Sustainable utilization of inland water resources: an integrated program for research and management

In both developed and developing countries, there is increased competition for water resources, resulting in deficiencies in supply and in various forms of pollution. In developing countries, the nutritional potential of aquatic resources is very important. To realize this potential, integrated research and management for sustainable water resource use are needed. This requires a sound understanding of the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems. A programme is presented which stresses the interrelationships of the physical, chemical and biological components of aquatic systems and their catchments. The programme consists of 16 stages in 5 phases, which are as follows: System description; System functioning and modelling; Resource assessment/dynamics; Resource potential; and, Resource utilization for sustainability. This programme enables workers within different disciplines to identify how their expertise contributes to the overall research requirements to support resource development.

Integrated rice-prawn farming in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam: a route towards sustainable and profitable farming systems?

Economic analysis and performance of the integrated rice-prawn farming systems in the Mekong Delta (Vietnam) are reviewed, including the problems and constraints of this integrated system technology.

Economic policies and the sustainable development of coastal resources in the Philippines

The link between environmental trends and economic policies is examined. The assessment of the past and present economic policies affecting the use of coastal resources in the Philippines showed that these policies have accelerated the rate of degradation of coastal resources. The current situation demands not only the reorientation of economic policies, but also other related actions to attain sustainable development of coastal resources.

Rice-fish-vegetable integrated farming: towards a sustainable ecosystem

An outline is given of procedures to take in order to adopt an integrated rice-fish-vegetable farming system in India. Vegetables, which are cultivated in the dikes of the system, may include Luffa acutangula, Vigna unguiculata and Phaseolus vulgaris . When the water depth of the field rises to 30-40 cm, fish fingerlings (Puntius javanicus, Cyprinus carpio and Labeo rohita ) and prawn juveniles (Macrobranchium rosenbergii ) may be stocked. The advantages of such a system are listed and include year round employment opportunities for the farm family and improved farm family income and nutrition.