Sustainable management of inland fishery resources in Myanmar: Issues and concerns

Abstract

Management of inland water fisheries has been promoted in Myanmar for decades as means of developing the country's fisheries in a sustainable manner, preventing the extinction of fishery resources, and safeguarding the health of freshwater fishery resources and habitats. For management purposes, the country's inland fisheries had been divided into: leasable and open fisheries. In leasable fisheries (locally known as Inn leasable fisheries), the fishing rights are granted through a lease agreement with the Department of Fisheries (DoF) of Myanmar subject to stipulations relating to the area, species, fishing implements, fishing period, and methods used. Open fisheries are operated in all other inland areas and waters adopting all kinds of fishing operations, with the right to fish in such areas also licensed by DoF including the fishing gears used. The leasable fisheries at Myaung in Bhamo Township, Kachin State which had been adopting sustainable management, serve as a demonstration site for other leasable fisheries in Myanmar.