Assessment of fishing gears, crafts, and socio-economic status of the Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) fishers’ community near the Meghna River, Bangladesh
Year 2024,
Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 199 - 213, 06.10.2024
Fatematuzzahara Anny
,
Aslam Hossain Sheikh
,
Bhaskar Chandra Majumdar
,
Md. Golam Rasul
,
Murshida Khan
,
Farhana Haque
,
A. K. M. Azad Shah
Abstract
An evaluation was conducted to assess the current state of fishing gears, crafts, and socio-economic aspects among the Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha Hamilton, 1822) fishers communities residing along the Meghna River region in Gazaria and Munshiganj Sadar Upazila, located in the district of Munshiganj, Bangladesh. About 150 fishers were interviewed using pre-tested questionnaires from selected areas from July 2019 to June 2020, and the data that was obtained was analysed using appropriate statistical tools. The methods employed for Hilsa fishing included the use of drift gill nets (known as Ilish jal, Fash jal, and Poa jal) and seine nets (referred to as Jagat ber jal), while the crafts utilised were Chandi boat and Donga. Most fishers were 31-40 years old (53.33%) in Ismanirchar and (46.67%) in Kalirchar village. Many fishers were Hindus (80%) in Ismanirchar and Muslims (96%) in Kalirchar. Regarding educational level, 69.33% and 70.67% of fishers in Ismanirchar and Kalirchar can only sign, respectively. Semi-earthen toilets were the primary type of sanitary facilities found in the area. Approximately half of the fishers residing in the two villages owned land ranging from 0 to 15 decimals. A significant portion, around 80%, relied on loans from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), while the remaining fishers obtained financial assistance from their neighbours. Hilsa fishing was found to be the main occupation in the study area. The fishers' income increased from September to November and March to May. The primary issues identified included extortion from local criminal groups, insufficient access to credit, absence of proper storage facilities, ongoing conflicts between professional and non-professional fishers, as well as tensions between Muslim and Hindu fishers. To improve their socio-economic situation and ensure sustainable livelihoods, fishers require more institutional support, better organisation, enhanced technical assistance, and increased access to credit.
Ethical Statement
This study does not require ethics committee permission or any special permission.
Thanks
The authors express their gratitude to the fishers residing in Ismanirchar and Kalirchar villages, as well as to the District Fisheries Officer (DFO) and Upazila Fisheries Officer (UFO), for their invaluable support and provision of essential information during the data collection process.
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Sazzad, A. (1993). An economic study of Hilsa fishing in the river Meghna in Chandpur district. MS Thesis, Department of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. 83.
- Shuhaimi, M. (2013). Training the Fishermen. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR).
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Year 2024,
Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 199 - 213, 06.10.2024
Fatematuzzahara Anny
,
Aslam Hossain Sheikh
,
Bhaskar Chandra Majumdar
,
Md. Golam Rasul
,
Murshida Khan
,
Farhana Haque
,
A. K. M. Azad Shah
References
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- Ahamed, N. U. (1996). Report of the fishermen's socio-economic survey. Fisheries Survey and Monitoring Program, Department of Fisheries, Tangail. 1-4 pp.
- Ahmed, N. (2002). Socioeconomic aspects of freshwater prawn culture development in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. ICLARM.
- Ahsan, D.A., Naser, M.N., Bhaumik, U., Hazra, S., & Bhattacharya, S.B. (2014). Migration, spawning patterns and conservation of Hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) in Bangladesh and India. Academic Foundation. New Delhi, India. 95-107.
- Alam, M.S., Sarker, I.C., Salam, M.A., Ali, H., & Mollah, M.O.U. (2009). Water loading for live fish transportation and socio-economic status of water loading station owners in three Upazila of Mymensingh district. Journal of Environmental Science and Natural Resources, 2, 73-76.
- Ali, H., Azad, M.A.K., Anisuzzaman, M., Chowdhury, M. M.R., Haque, M., & Sharful, M.I. (2009). Livelihood status of the fish farmers in some selected areas of Tarakanda upazila of Mymensingh district. Journal of Agroforestry and Environment, 3, 85-89.
- Ayenuddin, H., Hossain, D., Jewel, A.S., Khanom, D.A., & Masud, A.A. (2017). Assessment of fishing gears crafts and socio-economic condition of Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) fisherman of Padma River, Bangladesh. International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies, 5(2), 177-183.
- Bappa, S.B., Hossain, M.M.M., Dey, B.K., Akter, S., & Hasan-Uj-Jaman, M. (2014). Socio-economic status of fishermen of the Marjat Baor at Kaligonj in Jhenidah district, Bangladesh. Journal of Fisheries, 2(2), 100-105. https://doi.org/10.17017/j.fish.75
- BCAS (1989). Final report ENIMOF Project, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Government of Bangladesh. 228.
- CIDA (1993). Northeast Regional Water Management Project, FAP 6, Fisheries Special Study Report, SUNWHC in association with EPOBETS. 1-29.
- DoF (2019). National Fish Week 2019 Compendium (in Bengali). Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Bangladesh. 144.
- DoF (2023). National Fish Week 2023 Compendium (in Bengali). Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Bangladesh. 52.
Ellis, F. (2000). Rural Livelihoods and Diversity in Developing Countries, Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198296959.001.0001
- Faruque, M.D.H., & Ahsan, D.A. (2014). Socio-economic status of the Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) fishermen of Padma River, Bangladesh. World Applied Sciences Journal, 32(5), 857-864.
- Farzana, S. (2014). Fish availability and marketing system in Shawrupkathi upazila, Pirojpur district, Bangladesh. MS Thesis, Department of Fisheries Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. 29.
- FRSS. (2022). Yearbook of Fisheries Statistics of Bangladesh. Fisheries Resources Survey System, (FRSS), Department of Fisheries Bangladesh. 83.
- Halder, P., Ali, H., Gupta, N., Aziz, M S.B., & Monir, M.S. (2011). Livelihood status of fresh fish, dry fish and vegetable retailers at Rajoir upazila of Madaripur district, Bangladesh. Bangladesh Research Publications Journal, 5, 262-270.
- Hasan, J., & Mahmud, S.M. (2002). Study on the coastal fishing community of the Kalaiapara village: facts and observations. A project thesis in Fisheries and Marine Resources Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna. 50.
- Hossain, A. (2018). Supply chain analysis of Hilsa (Tenualosa Ilisha) egg in Bangladesh. Journal of FisheriesScience.com, 12(4), 09-12. https://doi.org/10.21767/1307-234X.1000154
- Hossain, F.I., Miah, M.I., Hosen, M.H.A., Pervin, R., & Haque, M.R. (2015). Study on the socio-economic condition of fishermen of the Punorvaba river under Sadar upazila, Dinajpur. Journal of Fisheries, 3(1), 239-244. https://doi.org/10.17017/j.fish.98
- Hossain, M.I., Siwar, C., Mokhtar, M.B., Dey, M.M., & Jaafar, A.H. (2009). Socio-economic condition of fishermen in seasonal floodplain beels in Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. Research Journal of Social Sciences, 4, 74-81.
- Hossain, S., Hasan, M.T., Alam, T.M., & Mazumder, S. K. (2014). Socio-economic condition of the fishermen in jelepara under Pahartoli of Chittagong district. Journal of Sylhet Agricultural University, 1(1), 65-72.
- Kabir, K.R., Adhikary, R.K., Hossain, M.B., & Minar, M.H. (2012). Livelihood status of fishermen of the old Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh. World Applied Sciences Journal, 16(6), 869-873.
- Khan, M.R., Miah, M.I., Hossain, M.B., Begum, A.F.R. O. Z. A., Minar, M. H., & Karim, R. (2013). Fish biodiversity and livelihood status of fishing community of Tista River, Bangladesh. Global Veterinaria, 10(4), 417-423.
- Kostori, M.F.A., (2012). Socio-economic condition of fishermen of the Chalan beel under Tarash thana of Sirajganj district in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Research Publications Journal, 6(4), 393-402.
- Mahmud, S., Ali, M.L., & Ali, M.A., (2015). Present scenario on livelihood status of the fishermen in the Paira river, southern Bangladesh: constraints and recommendation. International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies, 2(4), 23-30.
- Mia, M.S., Yeasmin, F., Moniruzzaman, S.M., Kafi, M.F.H., Miah, M.I., & Haq, M.S. (2015). Socio-economic condition of the fisher’s community of Meghna river of Ashuganj upazila in Brahmanbaria district, Bangladesh. International Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 2(1), 42-47.
- Minar, M.H., Rahman, A.F.M.A., & Anisuzzaman, M. (2012). Livelihood status of the fisherman of the Kirtonkhola river nearby to the Barisal town. Journal of Agroforestry and Environment, 6, 115-118.
- Mondal, M., Asadujjaman, M.D., & Anwarul, M.D.A. (2013). Analyses of catch composition and fish marketing of the Meghna River at Ramgati upazila under Lakshmipur district in Bangladesh. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, 16(11), 1452-1461.
- Pravakar, P., Sarker, B.S., Rahman, M., & Hossain, M.B. (2013). Present status of fish farming and livelihood of fish farmers in Shahrasti upazila of Chandpur district, Bangladesh. American-Eurasian Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Science, 13(3), 391-97.
- Rahman, K.M.M., Nahar, M., Adhikary, R.K., Khan, N.S., Rahman, M.M., Asadujjaman, M., & Rahman, M.A. (2014). Socio-economic condition and occupation migration of fisherman of the Jamuna River under Shirajgonj district in Bangladesh. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, 22(5), 633-638.
Sazzad, A. (1993). An economic study of Hilsa fishing in the river Meghna in Chandpur district. MS Thesis, Department of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. 83.
- Shuhaimi, M. (2013). Training the Fishermen. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR).
- Siddique, A.B., Saha, D., Rahman, M., & Hossain, M.B. (2013). Fishing gears of the Meghna River estuary of Chandpur region, Bangladesh. Trends in Fisheries Research, 2(1), 2.