World prospects for floodplain fisheries

Abstract

Rivers contribute some 5 million tons of fish for human consumption, most of which comes from major floodplains. Fisheries in the tropics are over-exploited and show signs of fishing-down. Several trends are damaging river fisheries. Floodplains are being drained for irrigated agriculture, leading to modifications to their form and function. River channels are also being modified. The modifications result in the loss of some fish guilds. The growing demand for water is leading to increasing abstraction and control of flow by dams. This means that there is often insufficient water available for the functioning of the system with lessened survival of fish species and lowering of production. Flood control to curb urban and farmland flooding is exacerbating the separation of the plain from the river. Technical solutions are now well established and include the creation of protected floodplain beads in the developing landscape, and the agreement of environmental flows. Political and social application of these solutions is more difficult and calls for the application of mechanisms to incorporate fisheries interests into generalised river development plans.