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Assessment of Fishing Practices on the Exploitation of the Titas Floodplain in Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh

M. Sagir Ahmed*
University of Dhaka, Department of Zoology, Laboratory of Aquatic Resource Management, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Floodplain fishery plays an important role in the economy of the country and the livelihoods of the people living adjacent to those floodplains. There has been indication of declining fisheries stocks that needs closer examination. Consequently, a survey was conducted in the Titas floodplain (Nabinagor-Bokdhor-Urkhulia) to identify the gears, catch per unit effort (CPUE), catch composition, species diversity and production during monsoon, from July to November (two flooding seasons). A total of 35 different types of gears of seven categories were identified. The monthly average number of different gears operated varied from 501 (seine net) to 40 (push net). The highest number of gears operated in September 2003 (1491 gears) and the lowest in November 2002 (455 gears). Fishing effort of seine net, gill net and set bag nets in two flooding seasons were 0.0223, 0.0230, 0.0028 and 0.0216, 0.0233, 0.0036 gears/ha/day, respectively. The set bag net had the highest CPUE (15.41 kg/ha/day) followed by seine net (7.04 kg/ha/day) and gill net (4.85 kg/ha/day). Average CPUE of combined gears in 2002 and 2003 were 4.93 and 4.81 kg/gear/day, respectively and the estimated production of the floodplain was 44 kg/ha/year. In combined catch, more than 20% fish were Cypriniformes (carps) including Puntius sophore, P. sarana, Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala, 15% catfish (Wallago attu, Mystus aor, M. cavasius, etc.), 13% pearch, 6% eels and the rest 46% were small and medium size fish and prawns. The fishing effort, CPUE and yields did not show any indication on the over exploitation of the resources.

Keywords: Floodplain fisheries, Fishing effort, Gears, Species composition, Titas river

Location: The River Titas, Brahmanbaria district

Start Date: 00-07-2002

End Date: 00-10-2003

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Commodity: Fishing

Objectives:

The specific aim of this formal survey was to identify the gears, catch per unit effort (CPUE), catch composition, species diversity and production of this floodplain with the potential to formulate the better management practices to conserve the resources.

Methodology:

The River Titas, located in Brahmanbaria district, is a trans-boundary river, 50-80 m wide (in dry season). It flows into the River Meghna near Salimgonj. During the dry season, the upper reaches of the river become dry, except for some pools. After the onset of the monsoon (July-November), the river floods, forming the floodplain. This study was conducted from July to November in 2002 and 2003 at the Nobinagor-Bokdhor-Urkhulia floodplain. The total area of the water body was about 700 ha. A census of all gears operating in the study area was undertaken on weekly basis using a floodplain gears survey form. Total catch by species was recorded for all gill nets, seine nets, set bag nets, cast nets, push nets, tarps and long lines operating during that census. Furthermore, the mesh size, owner status and number of units used by the fishermen were recorded. A catch assessment monitoring questionnaire developed for CBFM (Kader et al., 1999) was used in the present study. Catch monitoring data were collected on weekly basis from the fishermen during fishing. Total daily catches by gear type were estimated from their average catch rates and average number of gears recorded daily using a model equation developed by de Graff and Chinh (1992), The daily catch per unit of area (CPUE) was calculated as the total daily catch (Yg) divided by the sampled floodplain area.

Source of Information: Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 8: 329-334 (2008)

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Based upon an estimated total floodplain area for the country of 2.8 x 106 ha, the national catch statistics indicate a catch per unit area CPUA) for Bangladesh floodplains of 60-130 kg/ha/year (Table 4). The present study estimated a yield of 44 kg/ha/year based upon the survey in two fishing seasons (153 days each). Average floodplain production has been estimated to be 40-60 kg/ha/year by Welcomme (1979; 1985) from lightly exploited floodplain-river systems. The highest yields corresponded to permanent water bodies in the floodplains, while the lowest yield were found at floodplain fished for 4 months a year (de Graaf et al., 1994; de Graff, 2000). The fishing effort, CPUE and yield values had no indication on the over exploitations of resources in this floodplain. Nevertheless, increased amount of small prawns comprised 19% of total catch which might be a forecast towards the over exploitations of some slow growing species in this floodplain (Welcomme, 1985; Hoggarth et al., 1999) which needs further investigation. More studies, on biology and population dynamics of commercially exploited species are also needed to formulate a sustainable management strategy for this floodplain.

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