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Monitoring Artisanal Hilsa Fishery for Economic Efficient Fisheries Policy

Masud Ara Mome
Department of Fisheries, Matshya Bhaban, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Ragnar Arnason
University of Iceland. Iceland

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) fishery contributes to the largest single species fishery in Bangladesh. In this paper, a simple bio-economic year-class based model was developed from 1987 & 2007 fishing data to describe the fishery and examine its properties. With the help of this model, the optimum sustainable yield of the fishery was calculated and compared to the existing situation. The model was further used to locate socially and economically reasonable dynamic paths from the current situation to the optimal state. The results indicate that the fishing effort (measured in standardized boat units) required maintaining a maximum sustainable economic benefit is about one-third of the current fishing effort. At this sustainable fishing effort level, annual net economic benefits from the fishery amounted for closed to US$ 260 million compared to virtually nothing at present. The present value of the fishery along a moderate effort adjustment path to this long term equilibrium position was US$ 3,650 million at 6% rate of discount. The dynamic path that maximized the present value of the fishery involved quite dramatic effort reductions for the first two years. Such a path would probably increase the present value of the fishery by perhaps 8-10%.

Keywords: Bio-economic model, Optimum sustainable yield, Fishing effort, Dynamic adjustment paths.

Location: Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-00-1987

End Date: 00-00-2007

Program Area: Resource Development and Management

Commodity: Hilsa

Objectives:

The aim of this research is to develop a bio-economic model for the hilsa fishery which can be used as a first step towards improved management of fishery.

Methodology:

Data sources of Hilsa fishery: The hilsa fishery is described by the availble data from the Department of Fisheries statistical division from 1987 to 2007. For estimating the current model secondary and tertiary data will be utilised. The secondary data has been collected from the Fisheries Resources Survey System (FRSS) and Fish Inspection and Quality Control (FIQC) section in Bangladesh and tertiary data from different websites and from various working reports. FRSS is an important section of the Department of Fisheries under the administrative control of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. All biological data for this study were collected from “Aquatic Resource Management, Development and Conservation Studies” (ARDMCS), GEF component of the Fourth Fisheries Project (FFP) under the administration of the DoF. Modelling: The bioeconomic model employed in this study is a cohort disaggregated dynamic one. It consists of a biological part, a harvesting part and a profit function. The biological part describes the evolution of the stock over time. The profit function describes the economic benefits from fishing. The harvesting part relates control variables of the model¸, i.e. the variables subject to fisheries management, to fishing mortality and thus constitutes the link between the economic and biological part of the model. The control variables of the model are fishing effort and protection of young cohorts.

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Zool. 43(1): 37-53, 2015 ISSN: 0304-9027 (Print); 2408-8455 (Online)

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

To move from the current hilsa exploitation level to the long run optimal level takes time. Initially, in order to rebuild the hilsa stock, harvest rates could have to be reduced. Dynamic adjustment paths which maximize the present value of economic benefits over time involve quite drastic reductions in fishing effort and harvests during the first two to three half-years. However, as demonstrated above, it is possible to define more moderate adjustment paths which maintain fairly high catch levels every year while attaining the long run OSY within a reasonable time (i.e. 10 years) and without much loss in the present value of economic benefits (under 10%). Such paths may well be socially more acceptable.

Knowledge Management: Journal