Case studies presented in this publication aim at assessing the inland fisheries within the framework of multiple use of land and water resources in three river basins of tropical Asia. The Agno River Basin in the Philippines, the Nam Pong Basin in Thailand and the Mahaweli Basin in Sri Lanka were selected.
The rationale behind the studies was to clarify the position of inland fisheries in the context of other resource uses and their development, to identify the level of importance placed on inland fisheries development during the planning and execution period of major river basin modifications, and to investigate the ways for optimizing inland fisheries under constraints.
The three basins were selected for several reasons. They are all situated in the humid tropics of Asia, the basins are similar in size, and they are all undergoing intensive development because of the increasing demand for land and water resources as a result of increasing population pressure and demands for higher living standard.
Each river basin has also been under specific pressures and constraints. Planning and managerial practices have also differed from basin to basin.
This technical paper deals first with individual river basins as assessed by the authors of each study. This is followed by a synthesis based on the case studies, supplemented by additional information. A summary and suggestions for future needs conclude this technical paper.
