Impact assessment of Niger State fisheries legislation on fisheries conservation in Edozhigi local government area (L.G.A.) of Niger State

A preliminary survey was conducted among the fishermen in five selected villages in Edozhigi L.G.A. of Niger State. One hundred and fifty fishermen were randomly selected and interviewed to find out the impact of Niger State fisheries legislation on fisheries conservation resources in the area. The analysis of data collected using descriptive statistics indicated that undersized mesh of gill nets, beach seines and traps are being used unabated. Also, fenced barriers across the entrance of flood plain ponds and Ex-bow lakes from the main stream are in the area. The fisheries rules and regulations implementers are rarely seen or not seen at all in the area. The decreasing nature of fish catches was detected. It is observed that government policy on fish conversation is neglected due to inadequate or lack of funding for meaningful extension and implementation of the fisheries rules and regulations

Telling stories, understanding lives, working toward change

Stories are helping us learn more about the livelihoods of the fishers and farmers with whom we work in eastern India. We are engaged with these communities in processes and activities aimed at improving their lives and promoting changes in government policy and service delivery in aquaculture and fisheries. Stories are told in several languages by women and men who fish and farm, about their lives, their livelihoods and significant changes they have experienced. We also record stories as narrated to us by colleague-informants. The written and spoken word, photographs, drawings and films – all are used to document the stories of people’s lives, sometimes prompted by questions as simple as “What do people talk about in the village?” Through the power of language, stories can be an entry point into livelihoods programming, monitoring and evaluation, conflict transformation and ultimately a way of giving life to a rights-based approach to development. (PDF contains 10 pages).

Foods and diets of communities involved in inland aquaculture in Malaita Province, Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands has a population of just over half a million people, most of whom are rural-based subsistence farmers and fishers who rely heavily on fish as their main animal-source food and for income. The nation is one of the Pacific Island Counties and Territories; future shortfalls in fish production are projected to be serious, and government policy identifies inland aquaculture development as one of the options to meet future demand for fish. In Solomon Islands, inland aquaculture has also been identified as a way to improve ood and nutrition security for people with poor access to marine fish. This report undertaken by a Worldfish study under the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems explores the e potential role of land-based aquaculture of Mozambique tilapia in Solomon Islands as it relates to household food and nutrition security. This nutrition survey aimed to benchmark the foods and diets of households newly involved in small homestead tilapia ponds and their neighboring households in the central region of Malaita, the most populous island of all the provinces in Solomon Islands. Focus group discussions and semistructured interviews were employed in 10 communities (five inland and five coastal), four clinics, and five schools.

Agriculture, irrigation and poverty reduction in Cambodia: Policy narratives and ground realities compared

This report is a contribution to an assessment of the current status of agriculture in Cambodia, focusing on the linkages between agriculture and water, mainly in the form of irrigation. It seeks to view current government policies on agriculture and irrigation in the context of experiences on the ground, as communicated through the many field studies that cover varied aspects of performance in the agriculture sector and irrigation schemes. In an effort to identify future research areas, this review examines the status quo, and connects or disconnects with stated policy through a broad lens to capture strengths and challenges across crop production, irrigation management and post-harvest contexts. It places irrigation under scrutiny in terms of its value as a major area of government expenditure in recent years, and asks whether it presents the best potential for future gains in productivity, when compared with the prospects offered by investments in other aspects of agriculture. The fieldwork and review of current literature that form the basis of this report were undertaken at the request of, and partly funded by, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). It is also intended to contribute knowledge to the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) led by WorldFish, who co-funded the activities.

Poverty alleviation among fishermen within the floodplains of Kaduna River: implication for introducing commercial fish farming at village level in Doko local government area of Niger State, Nigeria

A diagnostic survey was conducted among the fishermen in six selected villages in Doko Local Government Area of Niger State. One hundred and fifty fishermen were randomly selected and interviewed to find out whether or not they had interest in commercial fish farming aimed at improving their livelihood. The dwindling fish catches in the natural flood plain ponds and Ex-bow Lakes continue to have a serious negative effect on the socio-economic well being of the village communities in question. A break on natural regular annual flooding of the plains had resulted into very low natural fish recruitment. Data analysis using simple descriptive statistics revealed that land tenure system, educational status, inadequate infrastructural facilities, religious taboos, existing fish species among others were found to be favourable indices for commercial fish farming. However, serious conflicts among the fishermen concerning the ownership status of these natural fish ponds are found to be major obstacles to commercial fish farming despite that the traditional ownership of the ponds were vested in the lands of individuals and village communities. Extensive fish farming and small-scale fish farming in the ponds and Ex-bow Lake with improved management practices are considered to be profitable venture. Despite the fact that fish seeds supply and extension effort are still inadequate, the fish farmers have indicated willingness to adopt commercial fish farming in the Ex-bow Lakes and flood plains in order to restore abundant fish production thereby providing for their food security and also increasing the daily income

The effects of aquaculture on farm household economy: a case study in Omon District, Cantho Province, Vietnam

A study of the farming systems in the Mekong River Delta (Vietnam) indicate that fish culture brings to the household a higher level of net farm income and family labor use. In general, adoption of fish culture is strongly affected by: (1) decline of wildfish; (2) location of the farm; (3) farm size per person and available water bodies within the farm; (4) income of farm, excluding income from fish; (5) guidance from agricultural extension workers; (6) policies of local government on the development of agriculture including aquaculture.

Integration of crustacean aquaculture with coastal rice farming in Vietnam

Some examples are given of integration of crustacean aquaculture into coastal rice farming in Vietnam. Freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii ) and marine shrimp culture integrated with coastal rice farming and crab (Scylla serrata ) culture in backyard ponds and ricefields are described.

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.

Clam farming in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

The Mekong Delta region in southern Vietnam has high potential for coastal aquaculture, including mollusc culture. Many mollusc species are cultured for domestic and export markets including white clam (Meretrix lyrata Showerby) and blood cockle (Arca granosa). Techniques for clam farming include the nursery and grow-out phases. At present, there are approximately 600 coastal families engaged in clam farming over a total area of 1,870 ha, of which 82.63% is used for the grow-out phased and 17.7% for the nursery phase. Nursery areas are near the coast and receive less than 5 hours of sunlight per day. The average area for a nursery is 3-4 ha and it is fenced with a net or bamboo stakes to prevent clams from escaping and to prevent water currents from carrying them away. Grow-out farm areas are further from the coast and are exposed to sunlight for only 2-3 hours/day. Average farm area for grow-out is 5-6 ha, and may or may not be fenced. Average operating cost is US$1100 per ha for nursery and US$757 per ha for grow-out (the cost of capital assets are not included) with loans being the main source of financial. Problems for clam farmers in the area include natural phenomena, inadequate culture techniques, lack of financing or credit systems, and marketing. Environment-related problems that cause clam mortality include flooding, and freshwater effluent and siltation or sedimentation from Mekong River. Other problems that constrain the development of clam culture in the area are: marketing problems such as lack of buyers and price fluctuations; exploitation of the natural clam populations.

Seawater irrigation systems for intensive marine shrimp farming in Thailand

The aim of the seawater irrigation system (SIS) is to clean up shrimp pond effluent and provide high quality seawater for shrimp farming. The system has 3 components: water intake; treatment reservoir and discharge system. There are criteria for site selection because shrimp farmers are required to form associations so they can work closely together. The construction site must be on the coastal area outside a mangrove forest and located away from a production agricultural area. All construction sites must have undergone an environmental impact assessment, and should be located on the area listed in Thailand's Coastal Zone Management Plan. Five SIS projects, which cover a culture area of 6,500 ha with 1,300 farmers (families), were completed and operated. The Department of Fisheries has planned for another 28 projects, that will cover almost 44,000 ha of culture area.

Aquaculture Asia, Vol.13, No.1, pp.1-56, January-March 2008

Developing guidelines for sustainable freshwater aquaculture planning in Vietnam. Aquaculture production, certification and trade: Challenges and opportunities for the small-scale farmer in Asia. The successful development of backyard hatcheries for crustaceans in Thailand. Alternate carp species for diversification in freshwater aquaculture in India. Genetic and reproduction technologies for enhanced aquaculture and fisheries management of Murray cod. Effluent and disease management in traditional practices of shrimp farming: A case study on the west coast of Sabah, Malaysia. Status of sahar domestication and its development in the Himalayan Region of Nepal. Vaccination benefits highlighted as Schering-Plough reinforces commitment to Asian aquaculture. Comparative advantage analysis of shrimp production in Asia. Strategies to improve livelihood of the rural poor: A case study in two small reservoirs in Binh Phuoc Province, Vietnam. Cambodian Government ban on snakehead farming enforced. Marine finfish aquaculture developments at ‘Indonesian Aquaculture 2007’. Production update – marine finfish aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific region. Body size of rotifers from estuaries in North Sulawesi. NACA Newsletter.

Aquaculture Asia, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp.1-42, October-December 2005

*Table of Contents* Sustainable aquaculture Peter Edwards writes on rural aquaculture: Small-scale pond culture in Bangladesh. People in aquaculture Community based aquaculture - issues and challenges H.K. De and G.S. Saha. Aquaculture as an action programme: An exercise in building confidence and self worth. B. Shanthi, V.S. Chandrasekaran, M. Kailasam, M. Muralidar, T. Ravisankar,.C. Saradad and M. Krishnan The STREAM Column: Transforming policy recommendations into pro-poor service provision Graham Haylor. Research & farming techniques. Grow out of juvenile spotted Babylon to marketable size in earthen ponds II: Polyculture with seabass. S. Kritsanapuntu, N. Chaitanawisuti, W. Santhaweesuk and Y. Natsukari Asia-Pacific Marine Finfish Aquaculture Network. Influence of economic conditions of importing nations and unforeseen global events on grouper markets. Sih Yang Sim. Present status of hatchery technology for cobia in Vietnam. Nhu Van Can. Report on grouper hatchery training course in Indonesia. Nguyen Quoc Thai. Aquatic animal health. Biosecured and improved penaeid shrimp production through organic nursery raceway system in India. Felix. S. and M. Samaya Kannan. Management of monogenean parasites in brackishwater finfish. K.P. Jithendran, M. Natarajan and I.S. Azad. Vembanad Lake: A potential spawner bank of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii on the southwest coast of India. Paramaraj Balamurugan, Pitchaimuthu Mariappan & Chellam Balasundaram.

Aquaculture Asia, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp.1-58, January-March 2003

*Table of Contents* Sustainable Aquaculture Fertilization, soil and water quality management in small-scale ponds part II:Soil and water quality management S. Adhikari Fisheries and aquaculture activities in Nepal Tek Gurung Peter Edwards writes on rural aquaculture: A knowledge-base for rural aquaculture Farmers as Scientists: Commercialization of giant freshwater prawn culture in India M.C. Nandeesha Aquaculture in reservoir fed canal based irrigation systems of India – a boon for fish production K.M. Rajesh, Mridula R. Mendon, K. N. Prabhudeva and P. Arun Padiyar Research and Farming Techniques Production and grow-out of the Black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera Idris Lane Breeding of carps using a low-cost, small-scale hatchery in Assam, India: A farmer proven technology S.K. Das Genes and Fish: Hybridisation – more trouble than its worth? Graham Mair Breeding and culture of the sea cucumber Holothuria scabra in Vietnam R. Pitt and N. D. Q. Duy The potential use of palm kernel meal in aquaculture feeds Wing-Keong Ng Using a Simple GIS model to assess development patterns of small-scale rural aquaculture in the wider environment Simon R. Bush Aquaculture fundamentals: Getting the most out of your feed Simon Wilkinson Marine finfish section Status of marine finfish aquaculture in Myanmar U Khin Kolay Regional training course on grouper hatchery production Aquatic Animal Health Advice on aquatic animal health care: Problems in Penaeus monodon culture in low salinity areas Pornlerd Chanratchakool

Facilitated advocacy: supporting farmers to have a voice in policy making and the development of service provision

Listening to people, especially those who are poor, and involving them in policy making and decisions about service delivery processes are logical steps in building better services and improving policies aimed at poverty alleviation. This case describes a facilitated advocacy that helped to negotiate and support a role for poor people who farm and fish, to contribute recommendations for changes in services and policies that impact on their lives. The national Government of India’s Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying and the Indian Council for Agricultural Research, both in the capital Delhi, have been linking with farmers and fishers and state government officials in the eastern states of Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal, in partnership with the STREAM Initiative of the intergovernmental Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia Pacific and with the support of the UK Government Department for International Development, Natural resources Systems Program supporting farmers to have a voice(13 p.)

STREAM Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 1-12. January-March 2002

CONTENTS: Learning from each other about conflict, by Ronet Santos. E-learning to support knowledge sharing in aquatic resources, by Robert T. Raab and Jonathan Woods. Livelihood strategies, gender and participation in aquaculture: findings from participatory research in northwestern Sri Lanka, by Lindsay J. Pollock and David C. Little. Farming of giant tiger shrimp in northern central Vietnam, by Jesper Clausen. Interacting with stakeholders and policy-makers, by To Phuc Tuong. The role of nutrition communications in meeting the nutritional challenges of the Asia-Pacific region, by Georgina Cairns. (PDF has 16 pages.)