Research and application of co-management strategies enhance the biodiversity conservation while providing socio-economic resilience for over 46,486 fishers in Bangladesh

Published on: April 22, 2022, Submitted by Valentina Ceccarelli on: April 15, 2022, Reporting year: 2021

Sustainable Development Goals Contribution

Implementing adaptive co-management and fisheries governance interventions, ECOFISH II improved livelihood resilience and poverty reduction of fishing communities in the Bay of Bengal. Co-management strategies provide socio-economic resilience for over 46,486 fishers, leading to increased hilsa production and improved hilsa size. As a result of the project, 264,413 M ha of biologically significant areas have been restored thanks to improved natural resource management. The ECOFISH II co-management of coastal fisheries resources contributes to reaching the UN SDG 14, SDG 1.

Fisher Women, Bangladesh

The Enhanced Coastal Fisheries in Bangladesh ECOFISH II project informed by the FISH Research program implemented adaptive co-management, incorporating strategies to diversify fishers' livelihoods. Science-based information relevant to supporting adaptive co-management was generated during the implementation of this activity. Indeed, the adaptive co-management approach was first ever introduced through the ECOFISH-Bangladesh project to manage the large river ecosystems encompassing the six hilsa sanctuaries. To establish the co-management in river sanctuaries, three types of building blocks as Hilsa Conservation Group (HCG), Hilsa Ghat Group (HGG) and Community Saving Groups (CSG), were established at the community level. The HCG in the village levels comprised 70% men and 30% women, HGG in fish landing stations with all men (since there is often no or a low number of women at fish landing stations). Then taking representatives from all of these groups together with other broader stakeholders at the village level, a Fisheries Management Committee (FMC) was formed to formulate, coordinate, and implement a local fisheries management action plan. ECOFFISH II has made remarkable progress in establishing collaborative management of marine resources during the last year. The activity has established two model resilient fishing villages for the livelihood transformation following the EAFM framework.

ECOFISH II has continued supporting the Community Fish Guards (CFGs) for the community and ghat-level patrols during the 65 days fishing ban period in the sanctuary of hilsa (March – April). In 2021, the Department of Fisheries (DoF) engaged 300 CFGs in six hilsa sanctuaries during the brood hilsa ban period (October–November). Following the project's recommendations to reduce the number of juveniles caught, the Government of Bangladesh also raised the mesh size for hilsa gillnets from 4.5 cm to 6.5 cm, notifying it through a gazette. Furthermore, based on the project's suggestion, the brood hilsa ban period was set in October.

The Hilsa Conservation and Development Fund (HCDF) is a revolving fund of BDT 35 million (USD 430,000) created under ECOFISH-BD to ensure support for fishers. DoF has decided to provide lump-sum incentives to Community Fish Guards (CFGs). A Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) is also being introduced. However, its introduction is still challenging in the context of the current fisheries management practices in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. The project continued the dialogue with key stakeholders and policymakers involved to switch the PES on and install it as a financial instrument to sustain the fisheries co-management system in coastal Bangladesh. 

 

 Co-management interventions contributed to 6% more incremental annual production. Another visible success of the programme's adaptive co-management is the increase in the size of hilsa fish.  As a result, the income of fishing households increased by 67%, during the three years, leading to improved livelihood capacity and poverty reduction. Against this backdrop, the government's recent initiatives will undoubtedly positively impact sustainable hilsa production.

Considering the importance of the small-scale hilsa fishery in Bangladesh, its preservation is indispensable to sustain the livelihoods of fishing communities in the Bay of Bengal. ECOFISH II works also toward improving access to microfinance for poor and marginalized women and enable them to participate in entrepreneurship development and alternative livelihood investments, some of which include innovative practices:

Model resilient fishing village: an approach of livelihood transformation of fishery communities in Bangladesh

Safe, hygienic, inclusive and gender sensitive production technology developed to dry small pelagic fish in Bangladesh

Seaweed (sea vegetable) farming

As a result of the community-based organization and the co-management of coastal fisheries resources, fishers have also significantly improved their awareness and commitment. In 2021, 100 Community Fish Guards (CFGs) were formed. At the same time, 96 CFGs from the first year were selected through a participatory approach and deployed to oversee compliance and assist law enforcement agencies and the Department of Fisheries, especially during fishing ban periods. In the last year, the capacity development activities promoted by ECOFISH II have contributed to achieving this objective by training more than 3,144 people. Thanks to the project intervention, in 2021, more than 46,486 people have increased their socio-economic resilience thanks to alternative livelihoods activities and savings from soft loans. 264,413 M ha of biologically significant areas have been restored thanks to improved and collaborative natural resource management.

The co-management interventions for the improvement and conservation of hilsa fisheries in Bangladesh contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), impacting several levels. The main impact area is SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. The results also contribute indirectly to SDG 1 (End poverty in all its forms everywhere) and SDG 2 (End hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture).

The improved hilsa fishery in Bangladesh represents a virtuous case of co-management of coastal fish resources. The model could be replicated in different regional and global contexts to improve other small-scale fish production.

Stage of Maturity and Sphere of influence

  • Stage of Maturity: Stage 3

  • Contributions in sphere of influence:
    1.3.2 - Increased livelihood opportunities
    1.4.4 - Increased conservation and use of genetic resources

Acknowledgement

This work was undertaken as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Fish Agri-Food Systems (FISH) led by WorldFish. The program is supported by contributors to the CGIAR Trust Fund. Funding support for this work was provided by the United States Agency for International Development - USAID under the Enhanced coastal fisheries in Bangladesh (ECOFISH) II project.

 

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Keywords

co-management income poverty production hilsa fish fishers sanctuary

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About the author

Wahab Md Abdul is at WorldFish - WF.

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