Exploitation and conservation of coastal and marine fisheries in Bangladesh: Do the fishery laws matter?

Islam, Mohammad Mahmudul; Shamsuzzaman, Md. Mostafa; Mozumder, Mohammad Mojibul Hoque; Xu, Xinhua; Yin, Ming; Jewel, Md. Abu Sayed

doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2016.11.026

Cited by 83 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Many "arotdars" have links to political parties and abuse their power by pushing their client fishers to continue fishing during ban periods. Islam et al (2017) find that almost all of the fisher respondents in their case study are indebted through "dadon" to an "arotdar" or "mohajan." A video documentary produced by ECOFISH illustrates succinctly how income dependency on hilsa fishing and debts affect the livelihoods of fishing households in the SES: https://www.…”

Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Rivermentioning

confidence: 89%

“…A major shortcoming not addressed in the compensation scheme is that fishers during fishing bans are still required to repay interest on their debts, which may compel them to continue fishing. Paying weekly installments of microcredit is a burden for fishers because their income from fishing is the only way to repay their loan (Islam et al 2017). Responses to our survey highlight that about 56% of fishers catch hilsa during ban periods.…”

Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Rivermentioning

confidence: 93%

“…It is also believed that the management interventions have contributed to the maintenance of biodiversity of other fishes in the sanctuaries and adjacent areas of the rivers. Notwithstanding the apparent recovery of hilsa stocks witnessed since the interventions took effect, poverty and indebtedness continue to https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol23/iss1/art26/ be major drivers of noncompliance with the existing fishery laws and regulations (Islam et al 2017). The combination of dwindling hilsa yields and harvest restrictions, introduced by the government of Bangladesh in response to the witnessed decline, have created hardship for communities and households whose livelihood depends on this natural resource.…”

Section: Status and Trends Of The Hilsa Fishery In Bangladeshmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the prerequisites, clarity and security of tenure, implies that communities of small-scale fishers must have some entitlement of ownership or control over the system if they are to be held accountable for ecosystem service delivery. Meeting this prerequisite is particularly challenging in the context of the hilsa fishery given the high mobility of this migratory fish and the large number of fishers relying on open-water fishery in the Meghna River and estuarine ecosystem, which in terms of total production supports the largest estuarine fishery in the world (Blaber 2000, cited in Islam et al 2017).…”

Section: An Incentive-based Approach To Fisheries Management In Banglmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Viewing indebtedness as endogenous to the fishery also illustrates the complex interdependencies between ecological and social processes that affect the provision and use of natural capital and persistence of poverty within the SES. Islam et al (2017) explain how middlemen, who often are rich and powerful members of society, regulate fishers' behavior in the exploitation of fisheries resources. The hilsa fishery is a capital-demanding and laborintensive fishery.…”

Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Rivermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reimagining large-scale open-water fisheries governance through adaptive comanagement in hilsa shad sanctuaries

Brakel¹,

Nahiduzzaman²,

Haque³

et al. 2018

E&S

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ABSTRACT. Almost a half million fishers in Bangladesh are predominantly reliant on the hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) fishery in the Meghna River and estuarine ecosystem. This paper adopts a broadened concept of social-ecological traps to frame the complex dynamics that emerge from social and ecological interactions in this highly natural resource-dependent social-ecological system (SES). We analyze how endogenous self-reinforcing processes in the system and poor initial conditions, particularly debt and lack of livelihood options outside fisheries, keep fishing households in poverty. We identify a policy decision in favor of incentive-based fisheries management as a critical juncture that influenced a trajectory of recovery in hilsa shad stocks in this complex adaptive system. Normative assessment of stakeholder perceptions indicates that fishers perceive a nominal improvement in well-being as a result of this policy. Compensation in return for compliance with a seasonal fishing ban in sanctuary areas does not, however, disrupt trap dynamics perpetuating the cycle of poverty, social exclusion, and political disempowerment in which fishing households are entrenched. Poverty and lack of alternative livelihood opportunities remain significant reasons for noncompliance with the ban as long as fishers do not have any meaningful representation in resource management and decision making. A secured tenure system through adaptive comanagement involving fishers in monitoring and enforcement of compliance with fishing bans, supported by sustainable finance for livelihood improvements outside of natural resource exploitation and predicated on responsive and accountable institutions for and by people who depend on the fishery, can form the foundation for local stewardship in a unique demonstration of contemporary largescale open-water fisheries governance in this complex SES.

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Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Rivermentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Rivermentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Status and Trends Of The Hilsa Fishery In Bangladeshmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: An Incentive-based Approach To Fisheries Management In Banglmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Rivermentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Reimagining large-scale open-water fisheries governance through adaptive comanagement in hilsa shad sanctuaries

Brakel¹,

Nahiduzzaman²,

Haque³

et al. 2018

E&S

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

References

2023

Sustainable Fishery Systems

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Fishing and trade of devil rays (Mobula spp.) in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh: Insights from fishers’ knowledge

Haque

D'Costa

Washim

et al. 2020

Aquatic Conservation

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Devil rays (Mobula spp.) are globally threatened cartilaginous fishes that have attracted global conservation concern owing to their high extinction risk and lack of protection in many countries. Limited resources and data on threatened marine species, including devil rays, impede conservation actions, particularly in developing countries, many of which have high biodiversity. Devil ray catch is a component of artisanal fisheries in Bangladesh, but data on their fisheries and trade are limited. To characterize devil ray fishing practices, fishers’ perception and trade, 230 fishers and traders were interviewed between 4 June 2018 and 22 June 2019, in four areas of south‐east Bangladesh. Catch data were also opportunistically collected at landing sites. Six devil ray species were documented, caught in an array of gill nets, set‐bag nets and longlines. All interviewed fishers reported life‐long devil ray bycatch in some numbers, and also noted a decline in catch over the last decade. Bottom trawling, increased bycatch levels, increased demand for devil ray products and, in some cases, ecosystem changes were identified by fishers as threats to devil ray populations. Unregulated and undocumented trade and retained bycatch, especially by gill nets and set‐bag nets, are fuelled by local consumption of devil ray meat and international trade in meat and gill rakers. Compliance with international trade control treaties for all Mobula spp. or the Bangladeshi law protecting Mobula mobular was low, with the majority of fishers (87%, n = 174) unaware of their existence. To manage devil ray fisheries, and prevent possible population declines, we propose a combination of legally enforced gear modifications, and catch and trade control through community‐owned implementation strategies. Additionally, we propose the simultaneous implementation of inclusive, community‐based awareness and stewardship projects in conjunction with a coast‐wide ray monitoring programme. Finally, we emphasize that more research and action rooted in a sustainable fishery model is urgently needed to protect Bangladeshi devil ray populations.

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Exploitation and conservation of coastal and marine fisheries in Bangladesh: Do the fishery laws matter?

Cited by 83 publications

References 7 publications

Reimagining large-scale open-water fisheries governance through adaptive comanagement in hilsa shad sanctuaries

Reimagining large-scale open-water fisheries governance through adaptive comanagement in hilsa shad sanctuaries

References

Fishing and trade of devil rays (Mobula spp.) in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh: Insights from fishers’ knowledge

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