Bangladesh, situated al the delta of three major river system — the Ganges, the Jamuna and the Meghna. provides a vast fresh watei fisheries Amongst the world s inland fish producing nations. Bangladesh ranks third behind India and China Fisheries sector contribute about 8 per cent of the total foreign earnings 2 per cent of the GDP and 65 per cent of the animal protein Intake. As per Fish Catch Statistics of Bangladesh 1988 89, the total Inland Water Area of the country is 43.08 lakh ha. of which 114 lakh is natural depression like beets and boors which produce 47 thousand metric tonnes (MT) fish 28 32 lakh ha are seasonally flooded area produc ing 1 86 lakh MT fist}. Total fish production is 10.5 lakh MT and per capita consumption is 23 gm per day (1992-93) against the requirement of 45 gm During the 1970s and 80s floodplain fish production as well as fish production declined gradually. Statistics, supplied by directorate of fisheries (DoF), shows that floodplain fish production has gone down from 2.35 lakh MT In 1979-80 to 1.86 lakh MT In 1988 89 The major reason of this drastic reduction of floodplain fisheries are the introduction of flood control, dratnage/lrrigatlon (FCD/FCD1) projects, construction of polders and rural roads, blocking of fish migratory routes by constructing sluice gates, culverts etc indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals and above all, adverse impact of the Farakka.

To mitigate this drastic reduction of fish the Government has undertaken different programmes financed by different donor agencies since early 90 s Two of these programmes are Second Aquaculture Development Project (SADP). financed by Aslan Development Bank (ADB) and Third Fisheries Project (TFP), financed by International Development Agency (IDA). I nited Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Oversees Development Administration (ODA). SADP has been designed to support increasing floodplain fisheries :'n the North-eastern Bangladesh. Presently It has been concentrating on about 40 water bodies (bed. baor and road side Jchal) in five districts of greater Sylhet and Kishorganj. Under this programme carp hatchling of four-five days are released In March/April and are being reared — for next 90 days. The programme had started in 1991 and would continue upto lune 1996. Among those water '•odies three are under New Fisheries Management Policy I NFMP) and the rest are under leasing system. The TFP. the largest floodplain stocking programme, has also under-laken programmes to help increase floodplain fisheries in South Western and North-Western Bangladesh, Its main objective is to increase fish production through application of aquacultural technique and -equitable distribution of fn-' reased resources to the rural communities. It has presently been stocking nine minor and major floodplains, spread over 24 districts, of them two is <'pen. six is under leased and remaining one is under (NFMP). where stocking starts in July/August. It has a plan to increase Its activities upto one lakh ha by 1996 from its present 32.500 ha level. Here, we •^hall discuss some of the problems faced under TFP stocked beets.

Problems of the Beek

In the beets fish production has increased to a considerable extent but there still exists some technical, physical and social problems, which are deterrent to cherished goal. First we shall present technical and physical problems, then social

problems — which include some general problems which will be followed by some beel specific Issues, and finally ef fort will be made to find possl ble solutions to mitigate the constraints.

Technical and Physical Problem

Fingerling mortality ahd fish escaping form the flood plain are most common technical problems. Mortality de pends' upon mainly physical health of the fingerling and the way It is being carried to the stocking points and the way it Is being released. All finger lings are released from one or two points for better manage ment. But carrying from a long distance and- releasing of a huge fingerling from one point or two points make the water turbid which cause mortality of the stocked fingerling. The physical boundary of all the stocked beets are not always well demarked and is reported to have breaches which make fingerling to find out escaping route.

Social Problem

Apart from technical and physical problem, there are series of social problems. Some of the problems are gen eral in nature i.e. applicable for all beets and others are beel specific with varying degree, and nature. Here we shall first discuss some general problems then the specific problems will be elaborated.

I xian Period and livelihood

Generally fingerlings are released from July to mid August. A three months lean period' (when the poor are left with no other work opportunity) is executed following completion of releasing activity. To allow fish growth to a considerable size." traps and gears Which may trap under sized fish is restricted in this said period. Some wage labourers are deployed to guard through and DoF staff and officials make visit to check illegal gear use and fishing of under sized fingerlings Despite this, fingerling steal ing by pond owners and use of banned gear and net is often heard. Realistically a positive response can not be expected from the poor people without providing them with alternative sources of livelihood during the lean period. Of course, in some cases this selective fishing restriction is leading to complete banning of fishing by lease-holder/NFMP licence-holders. Response to ban must be seen in the light of livelihood strategy.

Awareness: Poof and uned ucated common people are not so much aware of the fishing regulation, restricted period and gear use. Adherence to fishing regulation in some cases is guided by the tradi tion. It is observed that adher ence to regulation is more positive by the traditional fisherman who fish round the year as because they are more guided by the sense that in the future the resource will be their's and also because that they are equipped to fish otherwise excepting bpel fishing. But the same is appeared not that much positive to the part-time fisherman aA they are not guided by that sense of direction and not well equipped to fish otherwise.

Kua issue

Kuas (submersible ponds) are another reason . which hamper egalitarian distribution

of benefit to the beel commu nlty. Kutu are usually dug in relatively* depressed areas of the beel where fi»h assemble tu the draw down following recision of the flood waler from beel and floodplain To attract fish bushy branches are left in draw down. Some times supplementary feeding like rice bran, wheat bran etc. are supplied to ensure fast grow ing of fish Kuas are genera"y harvested In February/March Harvesting is done by employ Ing family labourers or wage labourers are sold out. A sizeable kua Is able to attract a huge quantity of fish which gives a handsome Income to a household. Poor and landless people having no land as such no kua (jvho together constitute a vast njajortty of beel community) are deprived of getting benefit from it. Moreover, kua owners exert their rights to the vicinity of the kua beyond their legal boundary

Gher Problem

Bangladesh Is endowed with a unique shrimp resources With the increase in demand

for shrimp, in the world market and its price as well, in the salinity-prone southern areas there is a rapid expansion of. shrimp culture through developing of gher in recent years. Gher is an embanked area with enclosure where shrimp are grown from May/June to January/February. After harvesting of shrimp, rice cultivation also may take place depending on flooding. Tpis development in Garalia (Jessore) also appears to be a serious threat to the egalitarian distribution of benefits derived from the programme. The beel have been stocked since last three consecutive years. In the current year 47 new ghers have been developed there covering about 200 acres of land as against 4 in the last year (survev canned out by the Gono Uddok Forum, a local NGO working in the area). The same situation is observed in the first year stocked Pajia-Pathra beel. where a single gher covering 80.acres of Important fishing route is developed anticipated stocking in

this year. The more Interesting issue Is all the ghers. devel oped In I he beets are sub mersible where fish will be trapped in the draw-down fol lowing recision of water from floodplain and beel.

Obviously this Is aiming at trapping stocked fish only, nothing to do with shrimp cul ture as boro will be trans planted in January/Februarv Three type of ownership of gher Is observed: 1) Single ownership — which is con slructed in owner s plot 2) Multiple ownership — which is constructed covering adjacent plots jointly and 3) Leased ghers — which is constructed by a group of Individuals with arrangement 'hat fish will go to the developers while land owners will cultivate boro In their respective plots. All the ghers are constructed In the relatively depressed area of the beel and in Important fish migratory routes.

Sustainability

Sustainability of the Project is a crucial Issue, which need to be addressed first, infact. Is

not a social problem rather it Is a TFP problem. Cost recovery is coming up as a way of sustainability with tor without Government. Since the kua/gher owners are getting extra benefits from stocking programme so imposition of some sort of levy might be considered as a means of cost recovery; since the programme needs a huge involvement of cash. Well, the problem is — kua/gher is a private land, hence its owner retains to the right to use it in any way. he likes. But imposition of levy will be double taxed as he is already paying revenue to the Government for it. So to address the problem government rules related to the land use need to be amended, which again will raise a series of questions.

Denial of Fishing Rights

The TFP programme is aiming at the. betterment of poor people specifically the people dependent on fishing for their livelihood. But in some cases it is directly contributing to the

marginalization of the poor Tungipara beel may be men Honed as a good example of It. In the beel about 60 per cent of the total households are In volved in- fishing — most of whom (about 35 per cent) are part time/seasonal fishermen who have turned into fishermen depending on beel and floodplain fishing as a means of livelihood during the monsoon and draw-dawn The beel is privately owned land, not a Jolinohal. but it is conjuncted with other Jalmohals (one Is under NFMP and the others are under leased system). But the leased-holders and NFMP licence holders are imposing restriction on the beel areas beyond their legal boundaries. The beel experiences an early flooding and receding time. At the lean period a complete restriction is being imposed by the aforesaid people on the one hand and on the other hand, when this period expires the poor people no more enjoy fishing rights In the khals and beets without pay inent.

•Jalmohal Policy

The floodplain stocking programme includes two different (in terms of wonership) types of waler bodies: 1) Open water bodies, and 2) Jalmohal.

Jalmohals are Government owned land and at present there are 13,400 Jalmohals under government. As per East Bengal State Aqulsition and Tenancy Act ef 1951, following the abolition of 'Zamindar' system. Government owned this, which have been used as means of revenue collection through bidding system by ministry of land, who retains its administrative control. However, the responsibility of management and maintenance of aquatic resources are given to DoF. Provision lease is awarded for a certain period to the highest bidder who may or may not be a fisherman. To ensure in the Jalmohal access fisherman has to pay a fixed fee or to maintain some contracts. In this system, besides administrative and management problems there are several serious distributional problems. In most cases, specifically in southern region. It Is observed that fishing rights to common fishermen is denied by lease-holder/sub ’lease-holders even after payment. To combat with these problems and to ensure direct participation of the fisherfolk as well as better management of aquatic resources NFMP is Introduced in 1986. at a pilot basis, in 10 water bodies, which expanded in 264 water -bodies in 1993. Government has a plan to replace all the leased Jalmohals by NFMP by the year 2000.

Possible Solution

- To Veduce fingerlings mortality to a minimal rate, fingerlings release at differept points may be considered. In order to combat high mortality local hatchery may be encouraged. This will also open an avenue for some people to be employed at the lean period. To reduce fish escaping from the ' floodplain physical boundary of the beet, there should be well demarked. To have a good response in lean period alterna; tlve Job opportunities may be provided. In this context, the Involvement of beel community should be ensured in fingerlings release and to oversee the beel. Credits could be provided so that they get themselves involved in small trading. Awareness building activities in relation to fishing regulation. should be. strengthened.

The author, was involved in the Project for a short term assignment, is solely responsible for the views presented here. He is. however, grateful to the TFP Management Technical Assistance (MTA) authority and to Dr B M Chowdhuary of Independent University of Bangladesh.