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Fish Catch Assessment of Maljhee-kangsa Floodplain in Bangladesh

N. Ahmed
Department of Fisheries Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh.

M.M. Rahman
Principal Technical Officer, Mennonite Central Committee, Bangladesh.

M.M. Rahman
Youth Training Center, Bandarban, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A study was conducted to assess fish catch in the Baila beel of Maljhee-Kangsa floodplain in the north-central part of Bangladesh. A total of 7 types of fishing gear were found in use by the fishermen which are: push net, gill net, cast net, lift net, current net, fish traps and hooks. The duration of fishing depends on use ,of fishing gear, season, habitat type, water depth and abundance of fishes. From the survey it was found that the highest average fishing time was estimated in fish trap (18.04 h/day) and the lowest in push net (3.21 h/day). There are variations in the Catch Per Unit of Effort (CPUE) of different gears in different seasons. The highest and the lowest CPUE were recorded in current net and hook which were 0.31 and 0.02 kg/gear/h, respectively. According to the fishermen, the highest catch was obtained during the receding of floodwater in post-monsoon season (October-December) and the lowest during the pre-monsoon season (April-June). A total of 39 fish species were identified in the catches of different gears. From the survey it was found that a fisherman daily catches an average 1.43 kg of fish. Alarmingly, the catch of fish has declined by an estimated 20% in the past five years. Concerns arise about the sustainable catches due to over fishing and indiscriminate use of gears. It is therefore necessary to provide institutional and organizational supports for artificial stocking and establishing fish sanctuaries through active community participation for sustainable catches.

Keywords: Fish, Catch, Gear, Floodplain

Location: Maljhee-Kangsa floodplain in Sherpur district, north-central Bangladesh.

Start Date: 00-07-2003

End Date: 00-12-2003

Program Area: Conservation and Biodiversity

Commodity: Fish

Objectives:

To know the fish catch in the Maljhee-Kangsa floodplain for management and conservation of aquatic biodiversity and environment.

Methodology:

The study area was the Baila beel (i.e., beel refers to a seasonal floodplain), which is one of the most important wetlands, lies at the Maljhee-Kangsa floodplain in Sherpur district, north-central Bangladesh. The Baila beel is estimated to cover an area of 44.1 ha. This water body is famous for its rich reserve of aquatic life. Most of the year it remains under water and drying out only a few months. From the month of June to October it remains inundated with flood water to a depth of up to 2 to 3 m. At the end of October, the flood water starts to recede and by the end of December the entire area becomes dry, except for some natural deep pockets. A large number of people live in the beel area, whose livelihoods, culture and daily activities are related and adapted to its aquatic environment. The study was conducted for six months from July 2003 to December 2003. A combination of the survey techniques were used for data collection: For questionnaire interviews, 50 fishermen were selected in the study area through simple random sampling method. Fishermen were interviewed at home and/or fishing sites. In a given day approximately 8 to 10 interviews were conducted, where each interview required about an hour. The interview schedule for fishermen was addressed the issue of fishing activities, fishing effort, duration of fishing, fish catch and their socio-economic condition. PRA is a group of methods to collect information from rural communities in a participatory fashion. The advantage of PRA over other methods is that it allows wider participation of the community. The information collected is likely to be more accurate. For this study, PRA tool such as Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was conducted with fishermen in the study area. A total of 10 FGD sessions were conducted where each group size of FGD was 6 to 12 fishermen. Data from various sources were coded and entered into a database system using Microsoft Excel software. Preliminary data sheets were compared with the original coding sheets to ensure the accuracy of the data entered. At each stage of survey, data were checked up, editing and coding at the field-level. Statistical method such as Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used to analyze the data. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics.

Source of Information: Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 8 (3): 396-400, 2005; ISSN 1028-8880

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

It is concluded that fish catch and species diversity has significantly declined over the last few years. Alarmingly, the catch of fish has declined by an estimated 20% in the past five years. As a result earnings of fishermen have also declined. The fish catch from this beel are assumed to be declining due to the over fishing and indiscriminate use of gears. In addition, there is on management policy for this beel. Therefore some beel management policies should be adopted for sustainable catches. Recommendations are made for sustainable catches and conservation of aquatic biodiversity through fisheries enhancement by i) artificial stoking, ii) construction of fish sanctuaries and iii) active community participation.

Knowledge Management: Journal