Conserving fish stocks in an inland aquatic ecosystem: The effect of community based fisheries management in Bangladesh

Abstract

Fishable species abundance through conservation measures for enhancing fish populations by the participation of local fishing communities has been established in Ashurar Beel of northwest Bangladesh. A government led partnership, the Community Based Fisheries Management project, has been introduced to organize and motivate fishers towards the understanding and implementation of fisheries management practices. Fisher groups from 25 villages with 527 members are included in the project. An institution connecting the organized groups, the Beel Management Committee, ensures fisher rights. A fish sanctuary has been established by fishers for the residence of brood fish and to develop guidelines to limit fishing in the fishery. Tremendous production of fish from the beel has been achieved. Major changes were observed in catches, species compositions and the contribution of species to total production. Most of the catch is small fishes, particularly Puntius sophore. An abundance of Ompok pabda, Channa striatus, Channa punctatus, Aorichthys seenghala, Gudusia chapra, Anabas testudineus, and Notopterus notopterus has indicated the successful recovery of these threatened fishes. The measures that were adopted at the community level were found to positively contribute to increased fish production and fish biodiversity. This Fisheries Management Project may serve as a model for other fishing communities with threatened resources