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The research paper aims at understanding the level of climate change risk of the Haor areas of Bangladesh. It follows a participatory approach, using Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Key Informant Interview (KII) to identify important climate change induced hazards, assess the probability of occurrences of the hazards and level of their consequences. Using geo-spatial techniques, the paper prepares hazard risk maps and risk hotspot maps. Policy documents, previous researches, and Government statistics and reports helped to develop the concepts and planning of the research. The unparalleled hydro-ecological attributes of Haor areas pose both opportunities and constraints for the local population. Poverty, lack of basic infrastructure and amenities, awareness and external support have already put the people in Haor areas in a vulnerable situation while the recurring natural hazards and shifting pattern of climate are making the constraints nearly unmanageable. Excessive rainfall in the monsoon and drought in the dry season is affecting the farming and fishery-based communities the most. The community perceptions on hazards, their occurrences, consequences and relative importance of each hazard for the agriculture or fisheries sector in the study area have been collected from the FGDs and subsequently analyzed to produce individual and multi-hazard risk maps for the area based on scoring. This information is also used to rank the Upazillas in the study area depending on risk level. The community people were also asked to select the important elements or structural facilities at risk in their area needed for their life and livelihood.

Aims: To identify the potential environmental impacts and influence of climate change on the pond fishery in haor region and impact of exotic species on the indigenous species through aquaculture. Study Design: An investigation on the influence of the pond fishery approach to determine whether the approach is successful with respect to the climate change impacts in the haor area. Place and Duration of Study: The study sites are located in five haor districts in Bangladesh for a period of one-year (May 2018 – April 2019) covering HILIP working area. Methodology: The study includes collection and analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data. For quantitative study, 92 sample households in 58 unions of 28 upazilas (sub-districts) in five project districts were randomly selected. Fish catch data, including information on species composition, production and sale were collected from perennial and seasonal ponds. The qualitative primary data obtained through in-depth interviews, key informants interviews and focus group discussions have been used in this paper. Results: Fish production was found to be better at perennial ponds, but not significantly more than that in the seasonal ponds. However, biodiversity was found to be better in seasonal ponds and greater than that in the perennial ponds. The findings clearly support the observation that pond fish culture is an attractive activity for haor people, especially those who are able to run both perennial and seasonal ponds and manage minimum feeding requirements, maintain those  and market the outputs effectively. The present study fills gaps in existing knowledge of fish pond culture diffusion in haor region of Bangladesh. Conclusions: Pond fishery appears to perform better so, aquaculture production would mitigate some lost capture fisheries in the haor area of Bangladesh. Existing cultural practices could support experimentation and learning under future initiatives in the haor area. Pond fishery in the haor area mainly has an income-generating feature and less probability of being affected by climate change impacts. However, future initiatives should emphasize on culturing fish, which has the potential of balancing the haor ecosystem. Aims: To identify the potential environmental impacts and influence of climate change on the pond fishery in haor region and impact of exotic species on the indigenous species through aquaculture. Study Design: An investigation on the influence of the pond fishery approach to determine whether the approach is successful with respect to the climate change impacts in the haor area. Place and Duration of Study: The study sites are located in five haor districts in Bangladesh for a period of one-year (May 2018 – April 2019) covering HILIP working area. Methodology: The study includes collection and analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data. For quantitative study, 92 sample households in 58 unions of 28 upazilas (sub-districts) in five project districts were randomly selected. Fish catch data, including information on species composition, production and sale were collected from perennial and seasonal ponds. The qualitative primary data obtained through in-depth interviews, key informants interviews and focus group discussions have been used in this paper. Results: Fish production was found to be better at perennial ponds, but not significantly more than that in the seasonal ponds. However, biodiversity was found to be better in seasonal ponds and greater than that in the perennial ponds. The findings clearly support the observation that pond fish culture is an attractive activity for haor people, especially those who are able to run both perennial and seasonal ponds and manage minimum feeding requirements, maintain those  and market the outputs effectively. The present study fills gaps in existing knowledge of fish pond culture diffusion in haor region of Bangladesh. Conclusions: Pond fishery appears to perform better so, aquaculture production would mitigate some lost capture fisheries in the haor area of Bangladesh. Existing cultural practices could support experimentation and learning under future initiatives in the haor area. Pond fishery in the haor area mainly has an income-generating feature and less probability of being affected by climate change impacts. However, future initiatives should emphasize on culturing fish, which has the potential of balancing the haor ecosystem.

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