SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF MARINE FISHERMEN AND THEIR UPLIFTMENT

Dr. M. Serajul Islam
National Socio-economic Consultant
FAO/UNDP BGD/89/012

1. INTRODUCTION

Bangladesh is endowed with vast inland and marine water resources where large number of fishermen are engaged in fishing. Fisheries sector provides full time employment to an estimated 20 million people comprising of full time fishermen, small fish traders, fish transporters, processors, packers etc, (World Bank 1989). Beside this, about 10 millions people are directly or indirectly involved in fishing and/or related occupation (Nuruzzaman 1990). The number of fishermen in different sub-sector of fisheries increased rapidly for the last few years.

In the Fourth Five Year Plan (FFYP), the Government of Bangladesh set priority to increase the fish production from 847000 mt to 1200000 mt within the period 1989–90 to 1994–95. The main objective of FFYP is to improve the socioeconomic condition of fishermen and others engaged in fisheries and create additional employment opportunities for poverty alleviation. In such situation, socioeconomic conditions of fishermen is needed to be overviewed to know how they are and what steps should be taken to improve their socioeconomic status. The main purpose of this present paper is to examine the socioeconomic status of marine fishermen where large number of fishermen are involved for their livelihood and to make policy recommendation for their upliftment.

2. SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF MARINE FISHERMEN

The marine fisheries comprises with two subsectors - artisanal fisheries and industrial fisheries. Small-scale artisanal fishing is carried out mostly by traditional mechanized boats and industrial fishing is done by trawler. There are 52 trawler and 3317 mechanized boats which are used in marine fishing in Bangladesh (Table 1). Table 1 shows that the number of motorized boats used for small-scale marine fishing are same for the period 1985–86 to 1988–89 but from other sources (World Bank 1991, Chong et al 1992, Islam and Elahi, 1993) indicate that the actual number of boat is more than 5000 and most of them are unregistered.

It appears from Table 1 that in 1988–89, 1.3 million fishermen were engaged in fishing, of which 60% and 40% in inland and marine fisheries respectively. In inland capture fisheries, number of fishermen increased by 6% from 1979–80 to 1988–89 but in the same period, the marine fishermen increased by 50% which indicates that more fishermen are getting engaged in small-scale marine fishing.

In Bangladesh, marine fisheries is dominated by small-scale marine fisheries. It contributes about 96% of the total marine catch and provides employment to 497000 full-time and 2525000 parttime fishermen (Chong et al, 1991).

2.1 Artisanal Marine Fisheries and Fishermen

Traditionally, all kinds of fishing were practiced at subsistence level by the ‘jaladas’ of the Hindu community. But with the increasing demand and commercialization of inland and marine fisheries and decrease in land assets due to population pressure, a large number of Muslim fishermen took up fishing as a full-time job. Most of the small-scale fishing boat owners either motorized or non-motorized, are now Muslim who hire Hindu and Muslim fishermen as crew, mostly on a catch share basis.

Generally, there are two categories of fishermen in smallscale marine fishing, they are boat owners and crews. Most of the boat owners do not go to sea, they are non-sea going fishermen. But they provide mechanized boat, gear and other necessary fishing materials and the crews work as actual fishermen and undertake different responsibilities in fishing.

The income sharing arrangement among boat owner and crews depends on the type of gear used and period in fishing season. For instance, in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar, 60% of the value of catch, after covering the operation costs, goes to boat owner and the remaining 40% is distributed among the hired crew and the share of each crew member depend on the type of functions performed by him (Rahman, 1993,). These may include catching, drying, transporting and support services such as cooking.

Very few surveys have been conducted on small-scale marine fishing. Thomson, Jahan and Hossain (1993) made socioeconomic survey on estuarine set bag net fishermen. Islam and Elahi (1993) studied the socioeconomic condition of different categories of small-scale marine fishermen involved in gill net, long line and set bag net.

Table 2 shows the details of fishermen using three major gears-gill net, long line and set bag net. Fishing team, usually consists of one head mazhi, one assistant head mazhi, one driver and 12 to 15 unspecialized fishing labourers. Depending on population involved in fishing team, 111 head mazhi, 26 assistant head mazhi, 69 driver and 544 fishing labour were selected randomly and interviewed to know their socioeconomic condition.

2.2 Determinants of Socioeconomic Status of Marine Fishermen

a. Family size and Composition

The family size and its composition are related to occupation and income. The study observed that family size was small with low paid jobs. Boat owners whose incomes were highest have the largest family size. The average family size was 8.14 persons of whom 56% were male and 44% were female (Table 3). The labourers had the smallest family size. They had average family size of 6.37 of which 58% were male and 42% were female. The average family size appears to be higher than the national average. It should be noted that the percentage of female members is lower than that of male members in all categories of fishermen.

b. Employment and Occupational Structure

Annual fishing activities are divided into three sub-periods. The high activity period (HAP) includes the months of September, October and November, the medium (MAP) includes the months of December, January, February and March, and the low (LAP) includes five months from April to August. The low activity period, June and July, (rainy season), is the slack period for fishing. However, there is little variation of employment during the activity periods among different categories of fishermen.

Head majhi, assistant head majhi and labourers spent obove 90% time on fishing (Table 4). The boat owners and other fishermen were relatively less involved with fishing. Boat owner's second most important job was business while other fishermen were involved with different occupations is varying period. Thomson et al, (1993) indicated that 35% of the fishermen population were involved in productive activities, 37% were children, below the age of 10, and 28% did not have any employment. There was high rate of dependants on the income earning members.

c. Annual Income of Different Categories of Fishermen

It is seen that different categories of fishermen earned about 90% of their incomes from fishing. Other sources viz, agriculture or business did not contribute much. Assistant head majhi earned more than 99% income from fishing. Business was the second important source of income in cases of boat owners, head majhis and other fishermen.

The level of annual incomes and their differences among different categories of fishermen are considerable. The annual income of boat owner is about Tk 461304. But the fishermen get Tk. 13568 annually. The average annual per capita income of different categories of fishermen household also varies significantly.

d. Expenditure Pattern and Surplus Income of Fishermen

Monthly per capita expenditure in different categories of households are shown in Table 6. The expenditures were divided into five categories of which four relate to basic human needs - food, clothing, education and medication. The boat owners used more than 56% expenditure on non-basic items while fishermen used most of their income on the basic items. Food is the single most important category of expenditure. The information confirms the Engel Law that expenditure on food varies inversaly with the income. While boat owners spend 34% on food, whereas fishermen use more than 82%.

e. Surplus Income

Table 7 shows degree of surplus income in different categories of households. While the boat owners saves substantial surplus incomes the other fishermen basically suffer from deficits.

f. Assets

It is reported that the boat owners had household assets valued at Tk. 24 lakh per family or more than Tk. 5 lakh per capita. On the other hand, other fishermen had household assets valued at Tk. 22000 per family or more than Tk. 6000 per capita. However, most of the marine fishermen have no fisheries assets. Boat owners provide boat, gear and other necessary assets for fishing. But Thomson et al (1993) reported that 82% of estuarine set bag net fisheemen are owners of their gear and craft.

Another survey which was conducted in 1985 (Huq et al, 1986) in Cox's Bazar areas, reported that, almost all fishermen had homestead area about 20 decimals or less. About 97% of households had homesteads upto 10 decimals only. As for the agricultural land endowments, 92% of households were landless. However, substantial percentage of fishermen households did not own any boats or nets.

2.3 Problems and Constraints of Small-Scale Marine Fishing

1. It was reported that price of fuel and net material have increased rapidly during few years, which seriously affected the net income of fishermen.

2. Quality timber, resulting in difficulties in building new boats and repairing existing ones.

3. Frequent engine trouble interrupts fishing.

4. Lack of capital to construct a boat and to buy engine, gear and other necessary materials. To get credit from the Banks is very complicated and normally not available in time.

Other major problems are piracy, bad weather, lack of timely weather bulletine and no basic medical or insurance policy for fishermen.

3. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

To improve the conditions of the marine fishermen, serious consideration is needed on the following issues is needed:

• The income sharing system may be made more equitable by enacting laws.

• BFDC may purchase fishing materials (boat, gears etc.) and rent out these materials to actual fishermen on more equitable terms and conditions.

• To organize cooperatives with genuine fishermen. Bank credit should be arranged through the cooperatives so that fishing boats, gears etc. can be perchased.

• Government and NGO's should come forward to create employment opportunities for the fishermen and their family members so that they can earn throughout the year.

• Measures should be taken to have regular weather forecasting, frequent naval patrol to stop piracy, and provision of bank credit and formal insurance for fishermen.

Table 1. Fishermen and fishing crafts by type in Bangladesh, 1979– 80 to 1988–89

Source : Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 1991.

Table 2. Distribution of sampled fishermen under different gears.

* Cook, net maker, repairer, helper etc.

Source : Islam and Elahi, 1993

Table 3. Family size and composition of different categories of artisanal fishermen by sex.

Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage.

Source : Islam and Elahi, 1993.

Table 4. Time spent for different activities by different categories of fishermen

(Annual)

Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage.

Source: Islam and Elahi, 1993.

Table 5. Average annual income of different categories of fishermen from different sources.

Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage.

Source: Islam and Elahi, 1993.

Table 6. Monthly per capita expenditure on different heads.

Figures in the parentheses indicate percentage.

Source: Islam and Elahi, 1993.

Table 7. Surplus incomes in different categories of households.

Source: Islam and Elahi, 1993.

REFERENCES

BBS. 1991 and 1992. Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Statistics Division, Ministry of Planning, Government of People's Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka.

Chong, Kee-Chai, Islam, N. and Begum, M. 1991. Analysis of the Constraints to and Potentials and Opportunities for Expanded Fish Production in Bangladesh. Field Document on Institutional Strengthening in the Fisheries Sector, Bangladesh. Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, UNDP, FAO BGD/87/045/91/07, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

GOB. 1990. The Fourth Five Year Plan 1990–95. Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning, Government of Bangladesh, Dhaka.

Hussain, M.M. 1994. Status of the Development of the Fishery and Sea Foods Processing Industry in Bangladesh. Froozen Foods, Special Bulletion, Bangladesh Frozen Food Export Association, January, 1994.

Huq. Atual et al. 1986. Socioeconomic study of Typical Fishing Community in Bangladesh. A Report Prepared for FAO, Rome. Department of Economics, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Islam, M.S. and Elahi, K.Q. 1993. Small-scale Marine Fishing in Bangladesh: A Socioeconomic Analysis, Research Report No. 23, Bureau of Socioeconomic Research and Training, BAU, Mymensingh.

Nuruzzaman, A.K.M. 1990. Problems and Potentials for Development of Inland Capture Fisheries of Bangladesh. A Paper Presented at the World Aquaculture '90 Conference, held in Canada, June, 1990.

Rahman, A.K.M. 1993. Socioeconomic Issues of Fisheries Sector in Bangladesh. Paper Presented in the Workshop on Fisheries Socioeconomics and Marketing Organized by South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, Dhaka, 16–17 November, 1993.

Thomson, K.T., Jahan, M.D. and Hussain, M.S. 1993. The Socioeconomic Condition of the Estuarine SetBag net Fisherfolk in Bangladesh. BOBP/WP/90, Madras, India.

World Bank. 1991. Bangladesh Fisheries Sector Review. Document of the World Bank, FAP 12/13 Project, Report No. 8830-BD.

World Bank. 1989. Bangladesh Action Plan for Flood Control, December, 1989.