The Consultation with Myanmar Department of Fishery at the end of 2008

The Consultation with Myanmar Department of Fishery and Site Survey in Duya In Lake, Hinthada, Ayeyarwady, Myanmar on 15-18 December 2008

The objectives were to consult with the government of Myanmar particularly Department of Fisheries on the collaborative program of the Promotion of Inland Small-scale Fisheries Management through Right-based Fisheries Management and Co-management Toward Institution Building and Participatory Approach and also to conduct site survey and data collection of the fishermen livelihood including the status of the aquatic resources in Duya Inn Lake, Hinthada, Ayeyarwady.

Site information: Hinthada is a city in southwestern Myanmar. Hinthada Township is a township of Hinthada District in the Ayeyarwady Division of Myanmar. In 1983 the greater city area had a population of 311,336. The city has a port which is important in the trade of locally grown rice and grain.

Duya In is in Hinthada, Ayarwaddy Division, adjacent to the Ayarwaddy River and connected with streams and creeks. Ayarwaddy Dam also serves as a pathway for fish to migrate through the fishery site and the river. The water surface area is about 808 acres. At the center of the site, there is an emerging piece of land of about 259 acres which creates a streamline and upwelling, supporting primary production in the fishery.

With regard to the interviewing with some fishers and official in the Duya In leasable Fisheries, the major groups of fisher are including 40 full-time fishers and around 290 local partner fishers. Fishing is conducted with purse seine, drift nets, dredge nets, cast nets and hook and lines. The fishery area is managed with 40 permanent employees. The lessee buys back their catch about 40 Kyats per viss (US$ 0.25 per 10 kilograms).

Local fisher partners earn 800 to 1,000 Kyats (US$ 0.80-1.00) and even up to 2,500 Kyats (US$ 2.00) per day. In case of the local fisher partner, they usually are fishing around 25 to 30 days a month and operation time mostly from 06.00 pm. until 06.00 am. from August to April. Interviewed fishers, all of them do not have any saving money which only do fishery to earn their life. The township fisheries officer said that before 1991 there were about 23 local species including three major carps, three snakeheads, catfish, carps, and others such as climbing perch, spiny eel, glass fish, feather back, barb, loaches, garfish and eel. However, after 2000, most of the catches are carp species.

The fisheries lessee is responsible for replenishing carp seed into the fisheries water, worth 1-5% of the lease value every year. The records of annual fish seed replenished varied from 1.87 million in 2001-2002, to 2.49 million in 2002-2003, and 1.06 million in 2003-2004. To compensate for the decline in the catch, the practice of replenishing carp seed into the fishery water seems to increase production.

However, this cannot substitute for the loss of indigenous species. Duya In leasable fishery provides fish protein and supports the livelihoods of fishers and farmers. However, it is being challenged by water quality, increased integration of resources users and a decline of the fisheries resource itself. There is an urgent need to understand the relationship of the local environment and its fisheries resources and to assess the benefit of annual carp seeding in the fishery.

Proposed projects under this consultation, conservation zone and fish processing will be considered and implemented in the future which collaboration among SEAFDEC and Myanmar Department of Fishery.

HRD on Local/Indigenous Institutions and Co-management

HRD activities on local/indigenous institutions and co-management are developed in response to the general recognition that in achieving the long-term objective of poverty alleviation, efforts should not only be given to development of well-being of the individuals, but also to improving the development of the local communities as a whole. Especially for the coastal fisher communities where the livelihood of the people depends on fisheries resources, assisting individual household might not bring about better fishery resources conditions and resources management system. But strengthening of local/indigenous institutions and to promote co-management in fisheries resources between government agencies and these institutions is equally crucial.

With the understanding that site specific HRD activities can not be effectively addressed to the individual fishers, HRD activities through appropriate local institution and strengthening of the local institutions and promotion of co-management will be the general framework of the activities to be conducted through on-site HRD activities. Reviewing the local indigenous institutions of the identified project sites, the possible manners to strengthening of these institutions under the co-management approach will be discussed and prepare the practical proposal to strengthen these institutions under this program.

HRD Activities on thematic areas

Objectives:
to transfer technical knowledge fisheries officials in order to recognize the importance of local/indigenous institution for poverty alleviation and food security to promote local/indigenous institution playing key role to practice and functioning in rights-based fisheries and co-management to achieve poverty alleviation and food security to prepare a best-fitted and practical proposal for on-site HRD activities

Proposed target:
Participants are government official who are responsible for the extension work and engaged with the local community in 8 selected sites.

Outcome of the activity:
1. Identified issues and frame work which will be used as a proposal or plan for on-site activities in the selected sites.
2. Finalized tentative schedule of each on-site HRD activity including continuous activities in each site.

Training course 3 days
1. Introduction of local/indigenous institution for sustainable livelihood and coastal resource management
2. execute fundamental and applicable function and responsibility of local/indigenous institution for sustainable livelihood and coastal resource management.
3. strengthen local/indigenous institution towards legal framework, local business and financial management and scientific data
4. promote rights-based fisheries management towards local/indigenous institution and practice based on Asian experiences
5. apply the concept of co-management and applicable practice enabling local/indigenous institution in coastal resource management.
6. strengthen awareness building on organizing and developing local/indigenous institution for sustainable livelihood and coastal resource management.

Workshop 3 days
1. review local/indigenous institution through experiences of active and well-being case study and project site
2. discuss and define principle, criteria and proper manners for strengthening local/indigenous institution
3. discuss and define prerequisite factors to strengthen local/indigenous institution in particular type of fisheries such as for coastal fisheries, inland fisheries.
4. discuss and prepare the best-fitted and practical proposal for on-site HRD activities

On-site visit 4 days
1. concrete experience and further understanding on practical and well-being type and pattern of local/indigenous institution.
2. experience in exchanging information concerning principle, need, and initiative institution with local stakeholder or core group of people.

Workshop on “Revitalization of Protected Area Conservation” at Laos Electricity Company, Nam Ngum Reservoir, Vientaine

The Stakeholder Consultative Workshop on “Revitalization of Protected Area Conservation”
Venue: Laos Electricity Company, Nam Ngum Reservoir, Vientaine Province, Lao PDR

Date: 25-26 November 2008

Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center-Training Department (SEAFDEC-TD) received a kind agreement from the Department of Livestock and Fisheries (DLF), Lao PDR to implement “the Promotion of inland small-scale fisheries management through rights-based and co-management towards institutional building and participatory approaches” with cost-sharing scheme. Regarding the cost-sharing scheme, SEAFDEC-TD has also received supporting fund from Japanese Contribution to share with the DLF for the project implementation.

Then the stakeholder consultative workshop has main activity to facilitate stakeholders to share, exchange and discuss to form co-management institution between stakeholders and local government agencies.

The Workshop carried out through three main sessions. First, knowledge transfer on concept of co-management including rights-based fisheries which was presented at the workshop. This presentation has an objective to encourage understanding on how and why co-management and rights-based fisheries concept is prominent to better inland small-scale fisheries development and management. Related lessons learned and experiences also illustrated along line with the concept presentation in order to facilitate a tangible scenario to stakeholders.

Discussion and decision session was second exercise to let stakeholder express, consider and discuss on problems commonly affected to their livelihood and employment. Then, participants had brainstorming to define solution and place the right solution into the problems. The results of the group discussion was a decline of aquatic resource in the reservoir, illegal fishing gear and operation, deterioration of environment, an increase of number of fishers. The solutions purposed for these problems were stop illegal fishing gear and operation, promote coordination between government officers and community to control and manage a use of aquatic resources, demarcated conservation area and management, etc. In this connection, they defined that government side should take leading role to action in solving each problem and collaborated with local community to promote a sustainable use of aquatic resources.

The last session, seeking and forming co-management institutional design and establishment is the most important session. This is to settle a local management entity or body to implement and promote inland small-scale fisheries development and management achieving better situation.

For further information please contact at phattareeya@seafdec.org or narumol@seafdec.org

การประชุมเชิงปฏิบัติการเพื่อจัดทำคู่มือการเก็บข้อมูลของตัวชี้วัดทางการประมงในประเทศไทย

วันที่: 18-20 พฤศจิกายน 2551
สถานที่: สำนักงานฝ่ายฝึกอบรม ศูนย์พัฒนาการประมงแห่งเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้

การประชุมเชิงปฏิบัติการเพื่อจัดทำคู่มือการเก็บข้อมูลของตัวชี้วัดทางการประมงในประเทศไทย มีผู้เข้าร่วมประชุมทั้งสิ้นจำนวน 22 ท่าน โดยเป็นนักวิชาการและผู้เชี่ยวชาญจากกรมประมง และเจ้าหน้าที่กองการจัดการประมงชายฝั่งของศูนย์พัฒนาการประมงแห่งเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ วัตถุประสงค์ในการประชุมครั้งนี้ คือ
1) เพื่อสรุปรูปแบบคู่มือและมาตรฐานการเก็บข้อมูลจัดทำคู่มือการเก็บข้อมูลตัวชี้วัดทรัพยากรประมง
2) เพื่อแลกเปลี่ยนประสบการณ์ ปัญหาที่พบจากการนำสมุดบันทึกข้อมูล (log sheet) ไปทดลองใช้
3) เพื่ออภิปรายหารูปแบบ และ ปรับปรุงเนื้อหาของสมุดบันทึกข้อมูลการเก็บตัวอย่าง (log sheet) เพื่อใช้ประโยชน์ในการเก็บข้อมูลจากกลุ่มเรือประมงพาณิชย์ เรือประมงพื้นบ้าน และให้กลุ่มผู้ใช้ทรัพยากรได้มีส่วนร่วมในการกรอกข้อมูลพื้นฐานที่จำเป็น และ
4) เพื่อให้ที่ประชุมยอมรับในรายละเอียดของข้อมูลเพื่อที่จะใช้เป็นแนวทางในการเก็บข้อมูลและจัดทำคู่มือการเก็บข้อมูลของตัวชี้วัดเพื่อที่จะใช้เป็นมาตรฐานการเก็บข้อมูลให้เป็นไปในแนวทางเดียวกันทั่วประเทศ



ที่ประชุมได้แลกเปลี่ยนความคิดเห็นพูดคุยถึงปัญหาและประสบการณ์จากการทดลองใช้แบบสัมภาษณ์และ แบบสอบถาม (log sheet) ที่เป็นผลจากการประชุมเชิงปฏิบัติการเพื่อการจัดเก็บข้อมูลและจัดทำเป็นคู่มือการเก็บข้อมูลของตัวชี้วัดจากเรือประมงพาณิชย์ในประเทศไทย ระหว่างวันที่ 5-7 สิงหาคม 2551 และ การประชุมเชิงปฏิบัติการเพื่อการจัดเก็บข้อมูลและจัดทำเป็นคู่มือการเก็บข้อมูลของตัวชี้วัดจากเรือประมงพื้นบ้านในประเทศไทย ระหว่างวันที่ 13-15 สิงหาคม 2551 รวมถึงเนื้อหาของแบบสัมภาษณ์ที่ใช้ในการเก็บข้อมูล หลังจากได้มีการอภิปรายพูดคุยโดยรวมแล้วผู้เข้าร่วมประชุมแบ่งเป็น 2 กลุ่ม โดยทำการอภิปรายเพื่อปรับปรุงแก้ไขและสรุปเนื้อหาแบบฟอร์มหรือสมุดบันทึกข้อมูล (log sheet) ในส่วนของกลุ่มเรือประมงพาณิชย์ (อวนลากและอวนล้อมจับ) และกลุมประมงพื้นบ้าน (อวนลอย ลอบ และอวนและแหครอบ) ให้มีความเหมาะสมสำหรับนักวิชาการที่สามารถนำไปใช้ได้จริงโดยพิจารณาจากผลการนำไปทดลองใช้

หลังจากได้ทำการปรับปรุงแก้ไขในเนื้อหาของแบบฟอร์มหรือสมุดบันทึกข้อมูล (log sheet) เรียบร้อยแล้ว ต่อจากนั้นได้เปิดการอภิปรายรวมอีกครั้งโดยร่วมกันอภิปรายในเนื้อหาเพิ่มเติมที่จะนำมาประกอบเป็น คู่มือการเก็บข้อมูลของตัวชี้วัดทางการประมงในประเทศไทย ต่อไป

Training on Enhancement and Rehabilitation of Blue Swimming Crab for Local People at Ban Thong Kroke

Date: 11 November 2008
Venue: Ban Thong Krok, Bangnamjued, Langsuan, Chumphon (Thailand)

29 local people are engaging in fisheries and agriculture joined the training. The objectives of the training were providing technical knowledge on crab resources enhancement and management to local people and support local people to effectively contribute crab bank management in the community to secure job opportunity in the future. During the training Mr. Tanadol is the chief of fisheries extension section, the Chumphon Provincial Fisheries Office gave welcome address to local people and fisheries officials. He emphasized on the purpose of the training. After finished opening activity, Dr. Mali was also invited to describe the concept of eco-labeling to the training. She emphasized that the practice of this concept which was needed local people participated with local officer to make use of marketing driven sustainable fisheries resource strategy.

After that Ms. Siriwan Nouseng who is a technical officer from the Suratthani Coastal Aquaculture Center introduced and gave information of the blue swimming crab life cycle including hatchery and nursing. At the end of her presentation, local people raised some questions and discussed in order to fulfill knowledge of participants for applying and practices.

Before the training is finished, Mr. Ampol Krutthani, the head of Ban Kopitak village delivered his experience on crab bank establishment and management to the training. He placed an emphasis on local people’s participation in the crab bank activity and included other fisheries resource management activities. He recommended that set net fisheries management and rope fish aggregating device might be effective tool to promote coastal fisheries management. He needed a chance to visit each management activity and sought support from the fisheries officials.

Mr. Prasert has worked for the Bureau of Fisheries Administration and Management. He clarified the project concept and plan named principal fisheries community (chumchon-tonbab, in Thai). The project has main purpose to encourage local users to participate in coastal fisheries resource management in order to reduce enforcement cost. In addition, the project was also planned to set up network of fisheries community to strengthen activities of coastal fisheries resource management along the coast of Chumphon Province.

Finally, SEAFDEC representative, Dr.Phattareeya Suanrattanachai made a conclusion of the training that local people received information and knowledge of crab resource life cycle, importance of local people’ s participation based on head of village experience, the projects and plan of the Bureua of Fisheries Administration and Management. Regarding the recommended issues such as set net fisheries management and rope fish aggregating device information, SEAFDEC informed that these information transfers might be done, however, the staff needed to consult and check availability of the project budget. Then, the staff would contact the villages later on the feasibility to hold a meeting or training at the villages.

List of parties concerned
Chumphon Provincial Fisheries Office
1. Mr. Supochana Jungyampin Chief of the Office
2. Mr. Tanadol JanKhuen Fisheries Extension Officer

Chumphon Marine Fisheries Research and Development Center
1. Mr. Rochanarute Rungrueng Fisheries Biologist
2. Mr. Nantapol Suksamran Fisheries Biologist
3. Mr. Anuchit Hannurak Fisheries Biologist
4. Ms. Bangon Kampaer Fisheries Biologist
5. Ms. Wanpen Chooyai Fisheries Biologist

Suratthani Coastal Fisheries Research and Development Center
1. Ms. Jantana Mahasawas Fisheries Biologist
2. Ms. Siriwan Nuoseng Fisheries Biologist

Chumphon Fisheries Administrative and Management Center
1. Mr. Prasert Chief, Fisheries Officer
2. Mr. Nisit Vechayan Fisheries Officer
3. Mr. Somporn Yiisaman Fisheries Officer
4. Mr. Direk Saelim Fisheries Officer
5. Mr. Chusak Saelim Fisheries Officer

Regional Training Course on Co-management Using Group User Rights for Enhancing Small-scale Fisheries Development and Management

Date: 27 October - 7 November 2008

Venue: SEAFDEC/Training Department, Samut Prakan, Thailand

SEAFDEC is taking leading role to promote rights-based fisheries and co-management to sustain coastal fisheries resources as well as to secure means of livelihood for small-scale fishers particularly in the Southeast Asian Region. In this connection, SEAFDEC formulated the Regional Training course on Co-management group user right for enhancing small-scale fisheries development and management as means of the promotion. The training has been funded by the Japanese Trust Fund for contributing fisheries officials from ASEAN-SEAFDEC member countries participated in the training.

11 participants are attending the training come from seven ASEAN-SEAFDEC countries –one each come from, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand,Vietnam, four from Indonesia and one from Japan. The regional training course was organized for 12 days which composed of two main parts. Part one was lectures that these were fully supported by SEAFDEC resource persons namely Dr. Yasuhisa Kato, Dr. Yuttana Theparoonrat, Mr. Aussanee Munprasit, Mr. Seiichi Etoh and his collogues working for socio-economic section, coastal and small-scale fisheries Division, and also included Dr.Phattareeya Suanrattanachai, Fishery Governance and Management System Section Head to transfer the expertise and shared valuable experience with all participants.

Second part was on-site practices in Rayong and Trat Provinces during 2 to 5 November. The participants were divided into two groups. Each group brainstormed to set up a research plan to work on site visited. Regarding practicing in Rayong, all participants observed set net fisheries group conducted selling fish products on beach. Besides, they had a plenary session to discuss on the set net fisheries group’s activity and management at EMDEC office. At the office, the participants also conducted an interview with members of the group.

In Trat Province, the participants visited Ban Pred Nai Mangrove Forest Conservative Group. At Ban Pred Nai village, all panticipants were on broad to observe mangrove forests areas. The participant could concretely experience the diversity of the forests given positive impact to enhance aquatic resources. After finished the cruise, all participants and Ban Pred Nai Mangrove forest conservative group’s member and committee had a discussion session to share and exchange information and experiences on mangrove reforestation and conservation. An additional activity was conducted an interview with member of the group.

After ended on-site practices, all participants analyzed and interpret data collected. They also excellently provided a report of the research result and gave a presentation in the classroom. The presentation helped mobilizing to share knowledge and experience gained from on-site visit among the participants. The participants have been cooperative and actively participated in training activities. At the end of the course, the participants expressed their satisfaction to the training arrangement and illustrated that their expectation were fulfilled.