Fishers’ perceptions of the performance of hilsa shad ( Tenualosa ilisha ) sanctuaries in Bangladesh

Islam, Mohammad Mahmudul; Islam, Naimul; Sunny, Atiqur Rahman; Jentoft, Svein; Ullah, Hadayet; Sharifuzzaman, S.M.

doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2016.07.003

Cited by 62 publications

(80 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…3). Similar to Bladon et al (2016b) and Islam et al (2016a), our study confirms that hilsa fishing households within sanctuary areas are more dependent on river fishing than households outside sanctuary areas. All 1,200 respondents in our study report that fishing is their main occupation and derive about 75% of their income from river fishery.…”

Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Riversupporting

confidence: 92%

“…All 1,200 respondents in our study report that fishing is their main occupation and derive about 75% of their income from river fishery. Yearly household income from river fishery within sanctuary areas is similar to that found by Islam et al (2016a), averaging at around BDT 90,000, but notably higher than that of households outside sanctuary areas (BDT 69,000). Hilsa fishing households within sanctuary areas also invest more in fishing-related assets such as boats and nets than similar households outside sanctuary areas.…”

Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Riversupporting

confidence: 66%

“…Implementation of a blanket ban would have significant financial implications if coverage of the incentive scheme were to be expanded beyond the 287,000 hilsa fisher households estimated by DoF to have been directly affected by the declaration of sanctuaries (Mohammed and Wahab 2013). Bladon et al (2016b) point out that the ban period coincides with the peak fishing season when, as Islam et al (2016a) note, seasonal migrant fishers come from as far as North Bengal to participate in the hilsa fishery. If we assume that the 2.5 million people who engage parttime or indirectly in the hilsa fishery do so mainly during the peak fishing season and thus also would be affected by a blanket ban, considerable expansion of the compensation scheme might be required in this scenario.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We find low literacy rates among our cross-section of 1,200 hilsa fishing households, with 28% of respondents illiterate and 50% who have attended primary school only. Similarly, over one-third of fishers surveyed in Islam et al 's (2016a) case study are illiterate. Education is considered a "luxury" poor fishers feel that they cannot afford because they cannot bear educational expenses.…”

Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Rivermentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Despite the perceived socioeconomic and ecological benefits associated with compensation, the effectiveness of this modified top-down management approach in terms of improved "voluntary" compliance with fishing bans remains questionable, and its implementation is fraught with problems. Islam et al (2016a) report that 65% of respondents depending on fishing in hilsa sanctuary areas are of the opinion that the sanctuaries adversely impact their ability to meet their household food consumption needs. Respondents complain that the added harvest is much less than their lost income.…”

Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Rivermentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 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

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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 Riversupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Riversupporting

confidence: 66%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: External Factors Affecting Trap Dynamics In the Meghna Rivermentioning

confidence: 97%

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

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Publish, then perish? Five years on, sawfishes are still at risk in Bangladesh

Haque

Leeney²,

Biswas

2020

Aquatic Conservation

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1. Sawfishes are highly threatened globally, and current data on their conservation status in the Indian Ocean are limited. A baseline study conducted in 2011-2012 revealed that at least two species of sawfish were still present in Bangladeshi waters and highlighted several important steps that could be taken to prevent populations from further decline. 2. Regular visits to landing sites in the southeastern coastal region of Bangladesh were conducted to collect data on sawfish landings. A telephone reporting system was developed amongst shark traders and fishers, to facilitate immediate reporting of sawfish landings. 3. Between 15 October 2016 and 26 December 2017, landings of 25 sawfishes were documented, of which at least 17 were largetooth sawfish Pristis pristis. No evidence of narrow sawfish Anoxypristis cuspidata was observed, which may suggest that this species has become rare. 4. These data were collected 5 years after the baseline study was conducted and after several years of broader efforts to highlight the precarious status of sawfish populations globally. The findings illustrate that largetooth sawfish continue to be landed and that none of the management or community engagement activities previously recommended, in order to reduce catch rates, have been implemented. 5. This is an example of the research-practitioner divide, where published scientific research on a group of highly endangered elasmobranchs has not led to their protection. A strategy for communicating the findings of this study and the critical need for local conservation action for sawfishes to key national and local stakeholders is presented, alongside a suite of actions that can be feasibly implemented in the next 12 months.

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Catch Trend and Stock Assessment of Hilsa Tenualosa ilisha Using Digital Image Measured Length‐Frequency Data

Rahman¹,

Wahab²,

Arshad

et al. 2018

Mar Coast Fish

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The annual global average catch shares of the anadromous Hilsa Tenualosa ilisha of Bangladesh increased rapidly from 74.5% all through 1984-2013 to 86.7% during the 2010-2015 periods. With a few exceptions, an increasing trend of Hilsa production over the last three decades was found in Bangladesh. Initially three options incorporating digital image measurements were compared to determine the best method for obtaining accurate length data. The length-frequency data measured from digital images showed that Hilsa have a moderate growth rate (K = 0.90 year

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Fishers’ perceptions of the performance of hilsa shad ( Tenualosa ilisha ) sanctuaries in Bangladesh

Cited by 62 publications

References 16 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

Publish, then perish? Five years on, sawfishes are still at risk in Bangladesh

Catch Trend and Stock Assessment of Hilsa Tenualosa ilisha Using Digital Image Measured Length‐Frequency Data

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