ASSISTANCE TO THE FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
BANGLADESH

BGD/89/012
Technical Report

FISHERIES SOCIO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND POLICY TABLE OF CONTENTS

BY

DR. ESMAIL AGHAZADEH

FAO CONSULTANT

FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
MINISTRY OF FISHERIES AND LIVE STOCK
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements
Acronyms, Abbreviations and Glossary

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study
1.2 Scope of This Report

2. COUNTRY BACKGROUND

2.1 Macro-economic Performance
2.2 The Role of Fisheries in the Economy
2.3 National Development Objectives and Strategies

2.3.1 Objectives
2.3.2 Strategies

A. Poverty alleviation
B. Equitable delivery of services
C. Decentralization
D. Community participation
E. Development and environment
F. Upgrading the socio-economic status of rural poor
G. Women in development
H. Structural adjustment
I. Sectoral balance in investment programme

2.4 General Socioeconomic Situations

3. THE FISHERIES SECTOR

3.1 Inland Water Fisheries

3.1.1 The rivers and canals, the beels and haors
3.1.2 Floodplain Fishery

3.2 Marine Fisheries
3.3 Aquaculture

3.3.1 Fresh Water Pond Aquaculture
3.3.2 Coastal Aquaculture

3.4 Fishing Community

3.4.1 Social status
3.4.2 Fishermen population and group formation
3.4.3 Fishermen's cooperatives

3.5 Women in fishing communities
3.6 Post-Harvest Technology and Marketing

3.6.1 Fish processing
3.6.2 Fish marketing
3.6.3 Fish inspection and quality control

3.7 Fisheries Institutions

3.7.1 The Department of Fisheries (DOF)
3.7.2 The Fisheries Research Institute (FRI)
3.7.3 The Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC)
3.7.4 Banking Institutions
3.7.5 Other Institutions

3.8 National Fishery Development Programme

3.8.1 Fisheries Sector in the Fourth Plan (1990–1995)

A. Objectives
B. Strategies

4. SOME OBSERVATIONS FROM FIELD VISITS IN BANGLADESH

4.1 Socieconomic Conditions of Fishing Communities

4.1.1 Riverine Fishermen: Chandpur District

A. Living Conditions
B. Social Status
C. Social Tension
D. Social Services
E. Income and Expenditure
F. Ownership
G. Power Structure
H. Participation in Organization
I. Women's Role in the Fishing Community

4.1.2 Marine Fishermen: Chittagong and Cox's Bazar Districts

A. Marketing
B. Sharing system

- Marine fishermen (Chittagong)
- Marine fishermen (Cox's Bazar)
- Gillnet (Teknaf)
- Set bagnet (Teknaf)
- Long-line (Cox's Bazar)

C. Socioeconomic conditions

- Cox's Bazar
- Set bagnet fishing village (Teknaf Thana)

D. Boat owner
E. Dry fish Processing plant (Teknaf)

4.1.3 Brackish Water (and Marine) Fishermen: Mongla and Bagerhat Districts

A. Fishing Communities of Different Religions

- Mongla Thana (Bagerhat District)
- South Canmario Fishing Village, Canpai Union (Mongla Thana)

B. Kohar Danga Fishing Village (Lochpur Union, Fakirhat Thana, Bagerhat District)

4.2 Shrimp Farming

4.2.1 Cox's Bazar

A. Teknaf Thana
B. Shrimp seed collector
C. Nurseries

- Niribili Nursery

D. Hatcheries

- Pioneer Hatchery Limited (Cox's Bazar)

E. Semi-intensive shrimp culture

- Aquaculture Farm Limited (Cox's Bazar)

4.2.2 Khulna

A. Shrimp farming systems in Khulna
B. Semi-intensive shrimp farming problems in Khulna
C. Government land
D. Land ownership and leasehold for shrimp farming
E. Shrimp farming conflicts

- Types of leasehold contracts
- Illegal leases
- Non-partial payment conflicts
- Paddy-shrimp Conflicts
- Disputes over shrimp farming impacts on vegetation and cattle
- Social tension due to loss of Accessibility
- Conflicts and social tension due to leakage through faulty embankments
- Shrimp farm multi-lessee Conflicts

F. How are these conflicts resolved?
G. Needed action to remove causes of conflicts
H. Siltation problem
I. Shortage of shrimp seeds
J. Environmental damage
K. Shrimp seed collectors
L. Women participation
M. Hatcheries
N. Freshwater shrimp as the second crop
O. Marketing shrimps

4.3 Fresh water Pond Fish Farming: Mymensingh
4.4 Fishery Credit (through Government Commercial Banks)

4.4.1 Agrani Bank (Cox's Bazar)

A. Shrimp farmers credit programme

4.4.2 Kishi (Agricultural) Bank
4.4.3 Janata Bank (Cox's Bazar)
4.4.4 Sonali Bank (Cox's Bazar)

4.5 BFDC: Fish Harbour (Chittagong)

5. SOCIOECONOMIC ISSUES FACING BANGLADESH FISHERIES

5.1 Inland Capture Fisheries
5.2 Inland Culture Fisheries
5.3 Marine Fisheries
5.4 Coastal Fisheries
5.5 Fishing Community Development
5.6 Extension
5.7 Women in Development
5.8 Fishery Credit

A. Shrinking credit allocation
B. Collateral Problems
C. Lack of financial discipline
D. Inappropriate lending policies
E. Institutional Shortcomings
F. Limitation of NGOs
G. Problems of informal Credit System

5.9 Post-Harvest Technology
5.10 Environmental Degradation

6. REVIEW OF RECENT SOCIOECONOMIC STUDIES AND BENCHMARK SURVEYS OF BANGLADESH FISHERIES

6.1 The Estuarine Set Bagnet Fisheries of Bangladesh

6.1.1 Socioeconomic Conditions of Estuarine Set Bagnet Fisherfolk in Bangladesh

A. Socioeconomic survey
B. General Socioeconomic conditions
C. Poverty
D. Social Cost

6.1.2 The Estuarine set Bagnet Fisheries of Bangladesh: A Bio-Socio-Economic Study

A. Species discarded
B. Exploitation of broods by all fisheries
C. Seasonality in catch rates
D. Comparative analysis
E. Improving value of ESBN catches
F. Socioeconomic conditions
G. fisheries management Recommendations
H. Recommendations on Socioeconomic and extension services
I. Institutional strengthening recommendations

6.2 Fishing Activity, Factor Ownership and Distribution of Benefits in Bangladesh
6.3 Licensing versus Leasing System for fishing Access
6.4 Environment, Conservation and Management of Fishery Resources in Bangladesh
6.5 The Impact of FCDI/FCD Schemes on Fish Behaviour, Growth, and Fisheries Production
6.6 Real Impact of FCDI/FCD Project on Fisheries Production
6.7 Adverse Environmental impact of Water Development Projects
6.8 Impact of the Floodplain Stocking Programme

7 PROPOSED SOCIOECONOMIC CORE RESEARCH PROGRAMMES, PROJECTS/COMPONENTS AND JUSTIFICATION

7.1 Socioeconomic Conditions

7.1.1 Research Project: Socioeconomic Status of Disadvantaged Women in Rural Communities

A. Project and its Rational
B. Information Needed in Assessment of the General Situation of Women in Small-scale Fisheries

- Income
- Food security and nutrition
- Community services
- Division of labour
- Overview

7.1.2 Research Project: socioeconomic Conditions of Small-Scale Fishermen and Fish Farmers

A. Project and its Rationale
B. Sampling Methodology
C. Absolute Socioeconomic Conditions

- Socioeconomic profile
- Labour use and sharing arrangements
- Income levels and variations

D. Comparative Socioeconomic Conditions

7.2 Production Technology and Efficiency

7.2.1 Research Project: Production Technology and Economic Efficiency of Small-Scale Fishery

7.3 Cost Structure and Profitability

7.3.1 Research Project: Cost Structure and Profitability of Small-Scale Fisheries

A. Project and its Rational
B. Data Requirements and Method of Collection

7.4 Marketing System

7.4.1 Research Project: Marketing System in Small-Scale fishery

7.5 Aquaculture

7.5.1 Research Projects

A. Fresh water Fish Culture: Differential productivity and Income Generation of Fish Culture Technology
B. Socioeconomics of Coastal Aquaculture

7.6 Socioeconomic Impact Studies of Fisheries-Related Policies, Programmes and Projects

7.6.1 Impact of Flood Control Interventions
7.6.2 Study of Economic Viability of BFDC Commercial Activities and Impact Study of its Promotional Role for both Marine and Inland Fisheries

8. PROJECTS OF GREAT URGENCY

8.1 Fishery Credit Research Project

A. Project and its Rationale
B. Development Objectives
C. Immediate Objectives and Outputs
D. Inputs
E. Project Duration and Cost

8.2 Technical Assistance Project: “Assistance to FRI in Socioeconomic Research”

A. Project and its Rational
B. Development Objectives
C. Immediate Objectives and Outputs
D. Inputs
E. Project Duration and Cost

9. PROPOSED INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SOCIOECONOMIC RESEARCH IN FRI

9.1 Present Status
9.2 Recommendations for strengthening the role of FRI in Socioeconomic Research in the Fisheries sector

9.2.1 Functions
9.2.2 Staff Recruitment
9.2.3 Training and Technical Assistance
9.2.4 Other inputs

10. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Annexes

1. List of Persons Met
2. Fisheries Research Institute Organogram
3. Doctor's Certificate of Injuries Inflicted upon a Shrimp Farm Labourer
4. “Fighting for the Repossession of Shrimp Farm: 20 People Got Bullet Injuries
5. Statistical Annex

TABLE 1. Fish Production, Relative Share and Annual Growth Rate (1983–1990).

Table 2. Estimated Production, Area and Average Yield (1983 and 1990).

Table 5.1 Employed persons 10 years and above by economic sector and sex, 1989.

Table 7.1 Population of fishermen and fish farmers by regions, districts, Thanas and fishing/farming grounds.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In preparing this report I have benefitted greatly from the full support of Dr. M.A. Mazid, the Director of FRI, Dr. V.R.P. Sinha, Senior Specialist, Fisheries Research Management and Development. I am also greatly indebted to colleagues in FAO Representation in Bangladesh and FAO Rome Headquarters for their advice, and extend my appreciation to the UNDP in Dhaka.

Thanks are due to the national consultants, Dr. M. Serajul Islam, Dr. Y.S. Ahmad Khan, Dr. Md. Kamal; and DR. Kensington, the Marine Fisheries international consultant, and also to Dr. Gulam Hussian, PSO of Freshwater Station, Dr. Md. Abul Hossain, CSO of Marine Fisheries and Technological Station, Dr. Md. Saifuddin Shah of Brackishwater Station and Dr. Gobinda C. Halder, PSO of Riverine Station of FRI as well as the Scientific Officers of the above stations, Mr. Shaha Ali (BS), Mr. Syed Kamrul Islam (MFTS), Mr. Md. Jalilur Rahman and Mr. Md. Shohidullah Miah; the last but not least, to all the fishermen and fish/shrimp farmers who patiently answered my numerous questions.

ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY

CURRENCY AND UNIT USED IN THIS REPORT