The WorldFish Center Quarterly Vol.28, No. 1 &2 (January - June 2005) Rebuilding Coastal Fisheries Livelihoods after the Tsunami: Key Lessons from Past Experience I.C. Stobutzki and S.J. Hall Abstract Fishing communities around the Indian Ocean were severely affected by the December 2004 tsunamis. Programs for rebuilding coastal fisheries livelihoods need to address the pre-tsunami situation that was characterized by overfishing and degraded natural resources. Adopting appropriate strategies to ensure sustainable livelihoods will require community involvement, as well as cross-sectoral, integrated planning and management at ascending government levels. Key recommendations from the WorldFish Center study Sustainable Management of Coastal Fish Stocks in Asia are presented to encourage discussion and debate. View Article (PDF 273 KB)  Women in the December 26 Tsunami: How Have they Coped; How Can We Help? P.S. Choo Abstract The tsunami that occurred on December 26, 2004 brought tremendous suffering and loss of life to several countries in the Indian Ocean. No less than 290 000 lives were lost in the countries affected, many of them from fishing communities. There were more women victims than men, and there were reports of women and children being disadvantaged and victimized. This paper describes how women were affected by the tsunami. It also highlights the importance of gender-sensitive emergency and reconstruction plans to ensure that the needs of women, men, girls and boys are given equal attention and treatment during a disaster. View Article (PDF 125 KB)  A Post-Tsunami Assessment of Coastal Living Resources of Langkawi Archipelago, Peninsular Malaysia Y.L. Lee, Y.A. Affendi, B.H. Tajuddin, Y.B. Yusuf, A.A. Kee Alfian and E. A. Anuar Abstract Rapid and detailed post-tsunami surveys carried out in the Langkawi archipelago in January 2005 showed that the coral reefs did not suffer any significant structural damage. Nevertheless, there were signs of recent sediment resuspension at the sites studied. The diversity and abundance of coral reef fishes and invertebrates were low. However, this was not attributed to the tsunami effect but rather to the present environmental conditions. The extent of damage at the villages of Kubang Badak and Kuala Teriang may indicate that intact coastal ecosystems such as mangroves have the potential to protect lives and property during natural disasters View Article (PDF 417 KB)  Evaluation of the Contribution of Fisheries and Aquaculture to Food Security in Developing Countries R. C. Akpaniteaku, M. Weimin and Y. Xinhua Abstract Fish contain important nutrients such as essential fatty acids, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C. Production of freshwater fish depends on the strategic application of various management techniques. The demand for fish products has increased beyond the natural supply, resulting in a high pressure on fisheries. Development of aquaculture is necessary for a rapid growth in fish production. A number of constraints hamper the development of aquaculture. Introduction of polyculture technologies in some countries is a way of maximizing production from different levels of the food chain. The roles of women in making fish products available to consumers is frequently over-looked by policy makers. Gender equity in policy-making and management of fisheries and in capacity building is an important issue. Fish production from inland waters and coastal areas can be increased by adopting cage and pen culture systems. Input subsidies and loans to resource poor farmers can boost fish production. View Article (PDF 192 KB) Causes of Fish Depletion – A Factor Analysis Approach T.K. Deka, M.M. Goswami and M. Kakati Abstract A study was conducted in 54 wetlands of 13 districts of Assam, India to evaluate the causes of fish depletion. Twenty-two variables were considered for the study. Seven factors were extracted through factor analysis (Principal Component Analysis) based on Eigen Value Criteria of more than one. These seven factors together accounted for 69.3% of the total variance. Based on the characteristics of the variables, all the factors were given descriptive names. These variables can be used to measure the extent of management deficiency of the causes of fish depletion in the wetlands. The factors are management deficiency, organic load interference, catchment condition, extrinsic influence, fishermen’s ignorance, external environment and aquaculture program. Management deficiency accounted for a substantial portion of the total variance. View Article (PDF 240 KB) Diversity of Selective and Non-Selective Fishing Gear and their Impact on Inland Fisheries in Bangladesh Md. Ghulam Kibria and K.K.U. Ahmed Abstract The paper describes the wide range of traditional fishing gear used by subsistence and professional fishers in the inland waters in Bangladesh as well as their impact on the fisheries and the environment. The negative impacts indicate the need for regulation of specific types of fishing gear at particular times of the year. An awareness/training program should be extended to the fishermen to create awareness of the long-term effects of their fishing practices and to impart knowledge of fishing laws. View Article (PDF 78 KB) Pen Fish Culture in Reservoirs – an Alternative to Land Based Nurseries V.K. Murugesan, S. Manoharan and R. Palaniswamy Abstract An experiment to rear carp seed was conducted in Tamil Nadu, India during October 2001 to April 2002 as a part of an ambitious programme aimed at standardization of pen fish rearing technology for production of stocking material of desired size at a lower cost. The experiment used six pens erected using locally available materials in the exposed marginal area of an existing reservoir. The high survival rate of carps (67.2-94.7%) and reasonable returns on investment (26.2%) obtained in the experiment indicated that fish seed rearing in pens erected in suitable areas of existing reservoirs could serve as a cheaper alternative to the expensive land-based nursery ponds. View Article (PDF 56 KB) Parameter Estimates for Fishes of the Upper Paraná River Floodplain and Itaipu Reservoir (Brazil) R. Angelini and A.A. Agostinho Abstract Estimates of the growth (K), natural mortality (M), consumption/biomass (Q/B) rate and trophic level (TL) for 35 species in the upper Paraná river floodplain and the Itaipu reservoir (interconnected ecosystems) are presented. A compilation of these biological statistics is made for comparison purposes and some general trends are briefly discussed. View Article (PDF 56 KB)