BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

COOPERATION IN FISHERIES AMONG THE BIMST-ECCOUNTRIES

Author: M. A. R. Kularatne

DOI Link: DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2004v25n1a2

ABSTRACT

BIMST-EC countries are situated bordering the Bay of Bengal--a large marine ecosystem. Located in the monsoon belt, this region is bordered by five countries -Bangladesh. India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. All are developing countries in the Asian region and. among them, India and Thailand are strong in technologies in the fisheries sector when compared to the other three countries. The coastal and offshore waters of the region support numerous fisheries, which are of great socio-economic importance to the countries, and provide for direct employment to around two million fishermen. Among the most important of these are the inshore small pelagics, demersal and shrimp fisheries. During the last decade, fish landings of the BIMST-EC region have increased mostly due to the increase in fishing effort. Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) has gone down in many commercially important fisheries. Many of the fishery resources of the BIMST-EC area have been heavily exploited due to unregulated and unmanaged fishing practices. This is further complicated by poor national resources management practices, unaddressed transboundary environmental and fisheries issues combined with the open access nature of fisheries. Inland fisheries and aquaculture are also important sectors where river, tributaries, floodplains, lakes, swamps, reservoirs and ponds are an integral part of protein supply to most rural communities of the BIMST-EC region. Cooperation in fisheries among BIMST-EC countries is essential to manage specially the coastal and near shore resources in a coordinated and integrated manner.