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Effects of Small Scale Saline Water Development Subprojects on Fisheries in Khulna District, Bangladesh

M.A.Y.A. Harun*
Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna 9208, Bangladesh

M.N. Uddin
Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna 9208, Bangladesh

M.A. Islam
Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna 9208, Bangladesh

M.M. Bahar
Environmental Science Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna 9208, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Small Scale Water Resources Development Sector Project (SSWRDSP), with the aim of flood control, drainage and irrigation has been introduced during 1996-2002 in Bangladesh by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) of ministry of local government and rural development. This study was undertaken for assessing the impacts of saline water subprojects on fisheries production. The study was carried out in two saline water subprojects in Khulna district based on primary and secondary data. The primary data was taken through Focus Group Discussion. Different indicators viz. fisheries area, fish species, fish production and fishers were used to evaluate the impacts of the subprojects on fisheries development. The year 1999 has been considered as the pre-project and 2004 as the post-project study period. Both the diversity and production of open water capture fishery have been decreased in the subprojects area. Different fish species have become rare in all the subprojects. However, the culture fishery has increased due to implementation of the project. The capture fishery in the Bagachra-Badurgacha Flood Control and Drainage (FCD) subproject area has totally been lost but the production of culture fishery has increased by 13%. In Narayankhali FCD subproject the production of capture fishery has been decreased by 87.8% while the production of culture fishery has increased by 7.10%. The number of fish farmers has increased but the number of fishers has declined in all the subproject areas. Some suggestions regarding the development of culture fishery and protection of capture fishery have been suggested.

Keywords: Fish biodiversity, Capture fishery, Aquaculture, Saline water, Water development project, Bangladesh

Location: Khulna District, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Water salinity, Fish

Objectives:

The external evaluation report of the first phase of SSWRDSP (Anon, 2003) highlighted the need for finding out the effects of projects on fisheries in details. Under this context a study was undertaken to evaluate the performances of two of the 91 SSWRDSP in terms of change in species diversity and production of fish before and after the implementation of the projects. Indicators for evaluating the performance of SSWRDSP on fisheries have also been included.

Methodology:

In order to understand how irrigational facilities of the SSWRDSP affect fisheries, two saline water subprojects with fisheries components in Khulna district have been selected as the study area. Among two, the Bagachra-Badurgacha FCD subproject in Dumuria upazila has positive impacts on fisheries while Narayankhali FCD subproject in Batiaghata upazila has negative impacts on fisheries (Anon, 2002a). The study was carried out on the basis of both primary and secondary data. Primary data on post-project were collected from field survey through Focus Group Discussion during October 2004 to April 2005. While the data on pre-project were collected from both appraisal reports of the projects and field survey. The Focus Group comprised of Chairman/ members of the Water Management Co-operative Association (WMCA), fish farmers, fishermen, manager/s of the fish farming water area, rice farmers, etc. The secondary data were collected from the appraisal reports of the projects and these were cross-checked during field survey. Data on people considered to be beneficiaries of the projects were collected from the respective Union parishad offices. Other important secondary information was collected from different published and unpublished reports/ journals from the LGED of Dhaka, and Khulna, DoF, WARPO, BUET, Khulna university and other government and non-government organizations. The year 1999 was considered as the pre project study year because it was the last year before implementation of the projects, and the year of 2004 was considered as the post project study year. After collecting primary and secondary data compilation, analysis, and comparison (as necessary) were done to meet the study objectives. Different indicators have been developed to evaluate the performance of the projects. Similar indicators have been suggested by International Water Management Institute (IWMI) for the evaluation of the impact of irrigation projects on agriculture. A negative value of any of the suggested indicators was considered as negative impact on fisheries whereas a positive value was considered as positive impact. The higher the value the higher the impact and the vice versa.

Source of Information: Khulna University Studies, 8(1): 57-63, 2007

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Capture fishery that plays an important role in alleviating nutritional deficiencies of the rural poor was depleting rapidly due to the implementation of SSWRDSP. However, the culture fisheries have expanded in all the subproject areas as the flood and required water depth for fish farming are controlled. The area, yield and production of capture fisheries in all the subprojects have substantially reduced due to the implementation of the SSWRDSP. In each subproject some open water fish species have become rare mainly due to the reduction of flood plain fish habitats although the production of culture fisheries has increased in all the subprojects. The number of fish farmers has increased in the subprojects studied but the number of part-time and fulltime fishermen has declined significantly due to restriction in free access to the open water capture fishery, and loss of open water flood plain fish habitat. As the study was conducted on only 2 of the 91 subprojects, further study on rest of the subprojects is necessary to establish the findings of this study.

Knowledge Management: Journal