FAO

MYANMAR

Fishery Governance in Myanmar

Situational Analysis Report
 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................2
Objectives...............................................................................................................................3
Methodology...........................................................................................................................3
Limitations and Challenges to the study..................................................................................4
Key Findings...........................................................................................................................4
Existing Fishery Sector Situations of Targeted State and Regions.................................................4
The Situations in Bago Region........................................................................................................6
Socioeconomic Status.........................................................................................................................................6
Social Wellbeing of SSF in West Bago Region...................................................................................................6
Ecological Wellbeing of SSF in Western Bago Region.......................................................................................8
Governance......................................................................................................................................................... 9

The Situations in Mon State..........................................................................................................10

Socioeconomic Status.......................................................................................................................................10
Social Wellbeing of SSF in Mon State..............................................................................................................10
Ecological Wellbeing of SSF in Mon State.......................................................................................................12
Governance....................................................................................................................................................... 12

The Situations in Ayeyarwaddy Region........................................................................................14

Social Wellbeing of SSF in Ayeyarwaddy Region............................................................................................14
Ecological Wellbeing of SSF in Ayeyarwaddy Region.....................................................................................15
Governance....................................................................................................................................................... 16

The Situations in Tanintharyi Region...........................................................................................17

Social Wellbeing of SSF in West Tanintharyi Region.......................................................................................17
Ecological Wellbeing........................................................................................................................................17
Governance....................................................................................................................................................... 18

The Situations in Rakhine State....................................................................................................18

Social Wellbeing of SSF in Rakhine State........................................................................................................18
Ecological Wellbeing........................................................................................................................................19
Governance....................................................................................................................................................... 20

Conclusion and Recommendations...............................................................................................20

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

Introduction
Fisheries governance is the legal, social, economic, and political arrangements used to manage
fisheries and their interactions. It has international, national and local dimensions and includes
formal rules which have legally binding as well as informal rules of tradition, culture and
customary social arrangements1. The Fishery Sector in Myanmar is standing at one of the most
important roles followed by the agriculture sector and it has been significantly contributing the
national food security, employment opportunities and local economy.
Over the past decade, fishery governance in Myanmar improved steadily in terms of pro-poor
policies, inclusive laws & regulations as well as the formal recognition of small-scale fishers’
contribution to rural development and poverty reduction. Significant changes to fisheries
governance included the acceptance of the principle of co-management; recognition of the
importance of small-scale fisheries and SSFs. By the unique efforts, collaboration between State/
Regional Governments, Parliaments, Development Agencies/ CSOs and SSFs, created new
incentivized for new fisheries legislation at Rakhine & Mon States and Ayeyarwaddy and Bago
Regions in last Democratise Government.
The fishery laws those enacted at these zones authorize the community fisheries to enable
increase access to fisheries for small-scale fishers and conservations. The laws also include the
establishment of a state level fisheries management authority involving different key relevant
actors and agencies. Key stakeholders have gained a formal role– from advising to decision-
making – in the management plan development process and approved plans are implemented by
the fisheries departments. In addition, followed by effective lobby, the ad hoc jointed patrolling
efforts were made to prevent illegal fishing. However, since the military coup d`état of 1 st
February 2021, the direction and momentum of fishery governance reforms in Myanmar has
changed radically. Most of the stakeholders who involved in the law legislation process are now
concerned about their contributions to changing a regulation would no longer be worthwhile if it
were not well-enforced.
This analysis explores the changes of Fishery Governances’ System that had been affecting the
twin impacts of Political Crisis and Covid-19 Transmission. The 2nd fishery situational analysis
is the follow-up study of the 1st situational analysis, which was jointly conducted by the
FishAdapt project and SSF project. The 1 st study was conducted in October-November 2021 in
coastal states/regions such as Ayeyarwaddy, Yangon and Rakhine and additional interviews with
SSF from Mon, Bago and Tanintharyi. The follow-up/second-round situational analysis is
carried out in May-June 2022 mainly by the SSF training participants and the project carried out
additional data collection in other coastal areas using experienced local researchers in the
respective areas.

1
Adapted from DFID’s FMSP Policy Brief 5

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

Objectives
The overall objective of the study is to understand the situation changes that is taking place in
coastal areas of Myanmar and to support the project of “Creating an enabling environment for
securing sustainable small-scale fisheries” and partner CSOs to make adaptive program design
and implementation. The specific objectives of the study are:
• To understand the changes that affecting the social wellbeing of SSF; how SSF
communities are feeling, thinking, and responding to the changing situation.
• To understand the changes that affecting the ecological wellbeing of coastal areas and
their impacts on fishery communities and their livelihoods
• To understand the changes in fisheries governance in Myanmar and impacts to the small-
scale fishing communities.

Methodology
The study uses a respondent-led methodology to explore these dynamics in Rakhine, Yangon,
Ayeyarwaddy and supplementary interviews in other coastal areas. The methodology of the
study is longitudinal snapshot and carried out interviews with the same respondents at regular
intervals over the project period. The EAFM conceptual frameworks is applied to access the
impacts of changed situation on Social Wellbeing, Ecological Wellbeing and Governance.
For the data collection in the five different States and Regions (States; Mon & Rakine, Regions:
Ayeyarwaddy, Bago and Tanintharyi), the research team was organized with experienced local
research enumerators and the team for Rakhine State was composed with the local trainees who
received ToT training on the Institutional strengthening of small-scale fisheries by the existing
project.
The interviews with SSFs, Leaders of SSF organizations, fish workers, and civil society
organizations working in the fishery sector, were carried out mainly by tele communication
approaches since some parts of the targeted areas have the security concern because of political
crisis as well as armed conflicts. But, in Rakhine State and Tanintharyi Region, the interviews
were conducted in physical with SSF communities.
Sr States/Regions Respondent Types Total Rema
. SSF Leaders SSF Aqua Fish- Staffs FG rks
farmers workers from D
CSOs
1 Rakhine 3 58 22 61
2 Ayeyarwaddy 3 12 15
3 Bago 2 5 7
4 Mon 3 10 13
5 Tanintharyi 10 10
11

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Limitations and Challenges to the study

The study used a purposive selection to minimise risks to both researchers and respondents. The
respondents were carefully identified by local enumerators in collaboration with their closed
CSOs and existing fishery sector related networks. Because some of the questionnaires that
related with examining the political impacts were sensitive for the respondents in this political
situation and it’s hard to have their response if not, they didn’t have trust or closed relationship
with the interviewers.
The interview approaches, phone interview, makes a big issue to get the active participation as
well as concentration of respondents throughout the interview process it used to take around an
hour. The following emerged as significant challenges to conducting research in the current
Myanmar context:
 Logistics of arranging interviews: due to travel restrictions, security concerns and COVID-
19 pandemic, most of the researcher could only carry out phone interviews. During the
interview process, some respondents raised concerns of the risk of phone tapping, which left
limitations for carrying out in-depth qualitative interviews. Frequent relocation and changing
telephone numbers are common practice during this period and so arranging interviews and
appointment is challenging. In some cases, the interview appointment needed to be re-
scheduled two-three times.
 The response rate of those willing to join phone interview in the research: Some
respondents shown their unwillingness to continue the interview near after half an hour
phone discussion and being responded very short answers.
 Documentation: Some of the researchers especially in Rakhine State and Tanintharyi
Region recorded the interview results with provided interview formats by handwriting. Then,
the handwritten documents were scanned for reporting. In some cases, these documents were
hard to clearly understand due to their handwritten style and poor scan’s quality. Therefore,
the frequent of information validation were needed to be carried out again with local
researchers.

Key Findings
Existing Fishery Sector Situations of Targeted State and Regions
All the research targeted five different States and Regions, although there are differences in
geopolitics, there are clearly deeper social divisions and conflicts spurred by political ambiguity
and vulnerability in the face of decline natural resources and instability. Since the military coup
d`état of 1st February 2021, the fishery governance system turning back to favour the capture of
the powerful elite actors and corrupted practices.
The new fishery laws, those were emerging in last elected government through the communities’
consultation approaches, granted the tenure rights for SSF associations, establish rules and

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

bylaws to operate community fisheries in their respected States and Regions. But now, those
were ignored, rewritten and somehow abolished by the Defacto Government. For examples: the
legal provision on community-based fishery was abolished in Ayeyarwaddy Region in
September 2021, the participatory patrolling system was now suspended in Mon State and the
legal supports to form SSF association at different level in Bago Region was ignored. Most of
the stakeholders who involved in the law legislation process are now concerned about their
contributions to changing a regulation would no longer be worthwhile if it were not well-
enforced.
In the past, governance failures that caused unequal distribution and unsustainable fishing
practices have been attributed to overfishing, rational ignorance, problem pooling, illegal fishing,
and bureaucratic inefficiencies. Same as past, the current fishery/ resource governance failures
addressing the significant decline in fisheries resources and biodiversity. This includes the
effects of economic growth both within coastal areas and upstream of river basins (eg,
overexploitation, deforestation, pollution), natural disasters (eg floods, erosion, storms), and the
effects of climate change.
The new actors including individual and groups who make alliance with the SAC administrators
are emerging to extract the fishery resources with IUU ways that are likely to be unruled. Most
the respondents under this research showed their concern about illegal fishing in their related
areas. It was found that the existing SAC administrators has no clear agenda to prevent such
kinds of illegal fishing before the completion of next elections which they promised after the
coup although their country development plan is prioritising fisheries and agriculture sectors.
In addition, many respondents expressed their deep concerns about the increasing cost of inputs
while there was declining of fish stock catching and insufficient earning of income for their food
security. This situation could be further worsened by the food price inflation, scarcity of job
opportunities at the communities’ level and stagnation of national market economy. Currently,
due to the restriction or intensive investigation of SAC, the operation of many development
projects has limited at the targeted areas while the private sectors/ companies reducing the
workforce due to the export/ import market un-functioning that threaten the local likelihoods and
food security.
In terms of overall socio-economic impact, the balance of socio-economic function benefits is
shifting at the community level. Communities, including the private sector, have expressed
concern about environmental issues in most interviews, although they don't have any collection
actions to do decent effort for resource conservation measures. The number of out migrant
workers is increasing compared with the previous years because of the lack of job opportunities
in all States and Regions.
In terms of environmental impact, there has been changing from collaborative sustainable efforts
to over extraction with illegal ways. The conservation efforts those happening before the time of
military coup were now suspended, ignored and the fishers who used to comply the fishery laws
are now applying the illegal ways of fishing.

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

The Situations in Bago Region

Socioeconomic Status
The local people who live in the villages associated between the Sittaung River and the gulf of
Martabin in Bago region are mainly working the agriculture and the secondary business is
fisheries. Yet due to the fall of riverbank last 5 years ago the agriculture business was damaged
and most of the families depended on fisheries more. Most of the fishermen go merely fishing
along the Sittaung River as a small business and only a few are working near shore and offshore
fishing. There are five family members generally in their family and the children are joining the
government school regularly.
Social Wellbeing of SSF in West Bago Region
The local fishermen are not changing methods to go fishing in the area of the Sittaung River, the
gulf of Martabin and the connected shores; they are only using traditional ways. The fishermen
who work together with the agriculture are farming the wild fish farming in the small
aquaculture pond (about 0.25 acres) in their fields. Most of the fishers in East Bago Region are
usually fishing at open fishing grounds and since there was no tender fishing grounds as West
Part of Bago Region. As the small-scale fishermen with no motorboats have to walk along the
bank of the river and go fishing with small-scale fishing gears such as Pushing Net, Cast Net,
Bamboo Fish Trap & Stationaries, etc., for the ones who own motorboats go fishing along the
Sittaung River by fishing with Drift net, Set Back Net, Gill net, etc.
The main fish species are Mullet, Mango Fish, Seabass, Giant Sea Perch, Striped Dwarf Catfish,
etc. And availability of fishing is decreasing one third comparing with last three years. Besides it
takes about one hour to go fishing to the fishing areas by motorboat before, but it takes three
hours now due to the shortage of fish and prawns. Moreover, the cost of fishing become
increased in double as it costs 5,000 kyat before for a package of fishing net but now 10,000
kyat. Paying top dollar for fuel faces the great difficulties for the small fishermen using
motorboats in fishing and they sometimes stop their fishing if they can’t expect the large
volume of catch in certain periods.
 “Sometime, the fishing cost is higher than the profit from fishing” said by SSF, fishing
at Sittaung River by using Motorboat.
The Sittaung River is located between Bago Region and Mon State; the fishermen from Mon
State (Kyaikhto) are catching the fish and prawns in the Sittaung River. They are catching based
on the Sittaung River by using 7-8 motorboats with the Surrounding Net/ Long-line Net (Than
Zakar Pike) with small mesh sizes for 7-15 days per month. The fishing density of Migrant
Fishermen were used to increase in Rainy Season and so, the SSF of Bago Region had
difficulties to access fishing grounds and fish catch decline. The reasons of increasing Migrant
Fisher in this area is that the new spawning grounds are emerging after the land erosion and
mushrooming of fishery resources than the Fishing Grounds of Mon State Sides. The SSFs of the
West Bago Region also used to go and catch the crabs at wetland areas of Mon State connected

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with the Gulf of Martaban. Although there are some problems between the local fishermen and
the migrant fishermen for fishing ground allocation, the fishing net entanglements, etc., it is
compromised by the Fisheries Development Association (FDA) and Department of Fishery.
 “Sometimes, they return back to their home because all productive fishing grounds in
Sittaung River were full of Migrant Fishers” said by SSF.
Before the periods of political changes, though FDA and some other departments are
collaborated and prohibited the IUU fishing at Sittaung River, at the present situation they can’t
control it properly; so, the fishermen using the Long-line Nets (Than Zakar Pike) are catching
openly; the number of fishermen who use the electrofishing are increased; etc. The local
fishermen have no practices to make any forms of fishing license and there were also no issues
happening for this matter.
To ensure food security and household expenses, small-scale fishermen must work as casual
laborers in the agricultural and seasonal fields due to insufficient income from fisheries. If a
man works as a casual laborer in agriculture, he can earn 100,000 kyats per acre for a year-round.
Women also work such as harvesting, selling something as a side business. Most of the
fishermen who work in the agricultural sector are paid in advance and most of their income is
spent especially for their food survival.
 “As long as there are rivers, there is no hunger. However, that alone would not work”
said by SSF.
Small-scale fishermen sell their catch to the nearest fish / shrimp collectors as fresh condition
and only non-commercial fish is made into fish paste / dried fish for home consumption purpose
only. The sale of fish / prawns depends on the catch volume of fish. If the volume is less, the
housewives have to sell as small-scale vendors. If the volume is much, they used to sell the
village brokers and collectors. Because the location of the villages makes it difficult to access to
the township market, there is no direct export to the fish markets of nearby townships.
There were no forms of any social events in most of the villages in Bago Region affected by the
outbreak of COVID-19 in 2021 but it has been held as usual since the beginning of 2022.
However, in villages where landslides have affected agriculture, only religious related events
were organized, and the happy occasions cannot be held. In most villages, there are very few
young people who can lead communities’ social events, and most (about 30% of households in
the village) go to work in Thailand as migrant workers. The numbers of young people who
work in Malaysia, Japan, and Korea are increased and in some family members of fishermen
have suffered losses due to agency fraud. Most of the young women are working in the garment
factories in Yangon. Local job shortages are likely to increase the number of young people
displaced in the future.
 “Without a job, there is no income. Without income, a family cannot survive.
Therefore, there is no reason to live anymore at here” said by SSF, father of a youth
migrant worker.

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During the epidemic of COVID-19 disease, the price of fish / shrimp dropped sharply, and small-
scale fishermen had to sell around the village for whatever price they could get. Due to the
closure of fish / shrimp collectors during this period, it is not possible to go to other fish
collectors in other areas and sell only as small-scale vendors. In addition, because travelling was
restricted in most villages during the COVID-19 period, most fishermen are not allowed to catch
fish for their meal; they rely on locally grown vegetables. Most villages have very little interest
in the ongoing political changes and are reluctant to get involved. However, during the post-
political period, illegal fishing in the fisheries sector increased; allowing illegal fishing with
Long-line Net (Than Zakar Pike) by taking under the table on the Mon State side of the border;
restricting the activities of fisheries groups to carry out resource conservation activities;
prohibition of the public gatherings for community development; these factors are having a
major impact on the development of the fisheries sector and the livelihoods of small scale
fishermen.
 What should be done are prohibited while what should not be done were allowed by
taking Bribes. So, the development of fisher sector will be over” said by members of
Fisher Development Association (FDA).
Ecological Wellbeing of SSF in Western Bago Region
The fishery resources are declining significantly about one third compared to three years ago.
The reasons of the fishery resources depletion are the destruction of fish habitats due to the river
bank erosion, high fishing pressure, using surrounding net/ long-line net (Than Zakar Pike) with
small mesh size in fishing, applying illegal fishing including electric fishing, poor law
enforcement to protect IUU fishing, high dependency on fishing business due to the scarcity of
other livelihood opportunities, poor practices/ inadequate efforts in resource conservation and
etc. In the past, the striped dwarf catfish were abundant in the region, but it is now considered
as endangered species.
Since the fishing business is a livelihood of last resort of fishers, the SSF do fishing all year
round and there were a few fishers who stop fishing in fish spawning season that was legally
prohibited for fishing. Before the time of political crisis, the fishery resources conservation
related awareness raising activities were carried out regularly by Fisher Development
Association (FDA) in collaboration with Department of Fishery (DoF) at communities’ level.
After the political changes, all forms of resources conservation efforts and measures are unable
to push forward due to the lack of interest of village level administrative bodies and complexed
political situations. In addition, the water quality of fishing grounds was degraded because of
using surrounding net/ long-line net (Than Zakar Pike) which killed the small fish that cause
pollution and damaging of fish ecosystem. The poor waste management system of local
communities living alongside of riverbank and coastline makes the full of garbage in river and its
exacerbating the depletion of water resources.
 “Who will provide the foods for us if we stop fishing at closed season” said by SSF.

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

Governance
The small-scale fishers of Bago Region are not used to apply for fishing license and there
were not have any issues on this matter. Most of the fishers had Bago Regional Fresh Water
Fishery Law (2018) Book that was provided by Gulf of Mottama Project but were not much
aware on the rules and regulations. Before the times of political changes, the law awareness
raising activities were carried out by FDA in collaboration with DoF and these activities were
now discontinued. Through these awareness campaigns, the SSF improved their understanding
on fishery law especially on Do and Don’t in fishing, but their compliance is not much increased.
Some of the fishers complains that they are hard to comply the new fishery law because it
makes a favor for elite fishers rather than supportive for SSF. Because, although the law
mention that the fishing is prohibited in fish spawning season, there were not any supporting
program for SSF to stand their livelihood. However, most of the small-scale fishermen using the
legalized fishing gears in fishing.
 “We wanna to comply fully the fishery law if we have any alternative livelihood
opportunities in fishing closed season” said by SSF.
At most of the fishing villages of Bago Region, the livelihood groups including fishery group,
agriculture group and Income Generation Activities (IGA) groups were formed under the Gulf of
Mottama Project funded by SDC since 2016. In addition, the communities’ voluntary groups and
village elder groups were formed and had the collaboration practices on village’s social-welfare
activities. The Fisher Development Association was formed at the Township level, and they were
working for law awareness raising, sharing knowledge & techniques for aquafarming and post-
harvesting, fishery resources conservation, fishery related conflict resolution in collaboration
with DoF. Most of the villages under the coverage of Gulf of Mottama (GoM) project were
supported the community revolving fund and the women groups were leading in managing of
these funds. All the livelihood groups have the clear rules and regulations and also having the
good practices of holding regular meetings and transparency among the members for the
implementation of development activities. However, some of the communities’ members are not
fully aware with the activities of these groups and not much interest to engage with them.
In terms of fishery management, before the times of political changes, the Fisher Development
Association (FDA) in collaboration with DoF organized the community’s awareness campaigns,
developed the resource conservation and fishery co-management plan, patrolled at Sittauang
Rivers by linking with FDA of Mon State to protect illegal fishing, organized the dialogues
events at village for communities’ development. Currently, all these efforts have ceased, the
role of small-scale fishers/ FDA has disappeared, and the fishery management system is now
fully fallen under the control of DoF.
 “Even the State is hopeless, the roles of SSF in Fishery Management is far away…”
said by members of Fisher Development Association (FDA).

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Aftermath of the political upheaval, the local authorities/ administrative bodies and
administrative system were changed by SAC. The changed administrative bodies often set the
stricter rules and regulations and all forms of development activities were allowed to operate
only with their permission. In some villages, administrators have ordered to remove the fishery
awareness posters, prohibited for organizing communities’ meetings and investigated on
communities’ development activities and its programs. As a special case, in 2021, the patrolling
team of Mon State, formed with the members of FDA, DoF and Police Force who were
patrolling at Sittaung River to protect the illegal fishers, were arrested by the military based in
Kawa Township, Bago Region. Following the case, the fisher leaders of Bago Region were
warned not to patrol to protect the illegal fishing in Sittaung River and not to carry out all
forms of development work in communities’ level. As a result, all of the fishery development
activities in Bago Region have been halted and the functions of FDA were stopped due to the
high rate of member resignation and displacement.
 “Nothing is more important than life. If they are not allow to do, we have no right to
refuse. So, we stop” said by members of FDA.
The Situations in Mon State
Socioeconomic Status
Mon State is geographically connected to the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Mottama in the West
with more than 140 miles of coastline. Many of these coastal villages are relatively remote.
Major livelihoods are fishing, farming, livestock rearing, as well as casual wage labor depending
on work opportunities. It is important to note that 52% of villagers in Mon State are recorded as
landless. Fisheries related business are a key driver for the State’s Economy as well as the
employment opportunities for SSF. There was a total of 10 townships and 7 townships out of
total them such as Kyeikhto, Belin, Thaton, Paung, Mawlamyine, Chaungzon and Ye townships
were mostly rely on fishery sectors. The incomes from the fishing business is just enough to
stand their family and they had faced a lot of difficulties and challenges due to the combined
impacts of COVID-19 and Military Coup. Some of the fishers stops their fishing due to the
increased fishing cost while the catch amount was declined.
Since most of the fishing villages are located at remote areas, they hard to access the education
for their children and some of the fishers could not sent their children to high school after
completion of basic level education from their village’s school. However, most of the fisher HHs
used to encourage their children to complete the high school education. Although most of the
schools are now reopening after longtime closing due to the impacts of C-19 and political crisis,
the children of most of fishery HHs are not registered yet due to the safety and security concern.
 “We know the education is important for children but we lost the ways how to send our
children to school with safety in this situation” said by SSF.

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Social Wellbeing of SSF in Mon State

The fishers living in Mon State are fishing at Sittaung River as well as working as inshore and
offshore fishing. The fishers who are fishing at Sittaung River are fishing with one day trip while
the inshore fishers spend one or two days in fishing. The offshore fishers use to fishing at sea
where over 10 miles distance from shore and they use to stay 7 to 15 days for fishing at there.
For the offshore fishery, the fishing grounds were not identified specifically and fishing by the
“First Person System”. The inshore fishers are applying the set gill net, surrounding net, trammel
nets and bamboo stationaries at nearby shores.
There were the illegal fishers come from Kyeikhto townships and they do fishing with illegal
fishing gears such as longline net with small mesh size (locally called Thanzakar Pike). In
addition, offshore fishing boats often enter and fishing at inshore, causing many losses to local
fishermen. If there was a problem, the local fishermen used to be quite because the offshore
fishing vessels have huge manpower than local fishers in fining grounds. Moreover, the offshore
fishing vessels have the fish tracking gear, locally called “Don”, they usually manipulated the
most productive fishing grounds. This offshore fishing vessel issues were happening after 2020
because of allowing the vessel which has under 40 feel lengths with maximum 50 Horsepower
engines in inshore by DoF. In raining season, the local fishermen have difficulties to access
fishing grounds in inshore fishing areas because of high migrant fishers’ population density at
fishing grounds.
 “Where should we go for fishing because most are manipulated by illegal fishers and
offshore vessels” said by SSF.
The closing of export market due to the impacts of Covid-19 and political crisis, causing the
negative impacts to local fishers since their targeted fish species such as Croaker, Mango fish
and Hilsa are highly rely on export market. Although the other local market-oriented fish species
have the regular market, the price is decreasing. During the period of Covid-19 pandemic, the
local fishermen were hard to access the marketplace due to the travel restriction and somehow
hard to reach to fishing ground for fishing. After the political crisis, the inputs cost for fishing is
significantly increasing and it makes difficulties for fishers to continue in fishing. Therefore,
some of the fisher families sold their fishing gears and migrated to abroad for their survival. In
most case, most of the local fishery communities used to take loan from local money lenders and
fisher collectors with at least 10% of interest rate for their livelihood survival.
 “Life is hard to survive only by fishing” said by SSF.
The communities’ social events were regularly organized as normal in most of the villages. But,
over half of youth have been migrating to Thailand due to the scarcity of job opportunities in
local areas and the migration trend is significantly increased in 2022.
 “We even have to leave our native since we have no job here to survive” said by SSF,
his son had migrated to Thailand in 2021.
Most of the women of SSF communities are standing at vital role in contribution of family
income by opening retail glossary, working as casual labor in farming business, etc. Regarding to

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the fisher sector related, they are leading in sorting & grading of fish, sending to the market,
selling the fish in communities, making fish paste/ dried fish and net repairing. In Mon State,
most of the local fishers used to sell their product in fresh condition to market and there was very
scall-scale fish processing for home consumption.
 “Fishing only can’t be survive, all family’ members have to find for alternative
incomes” said by SSF.
Due to the high migration rate in local level, there has been labor shortage for fishing boat
owners. Therefore, they are mostly relying on the migrant workers from other State and Regions:
especially from Pyapon and Dedaye of Ayeyarwaddy Region and Hlaingtharyar of Yangon
Region, and sometimes they have to recruit the child labor. The advance payment system is
applied as incentive to get labor and it was found that the labor fee is increased than the last
years due to the extreme labor shortage in fishing business.
Ecological Wellbeing of SSF in Mon State
At most of the townships, the fishery resources are declining in compared with 2020 and the
marketable fish species and sizes are significantly decreasing in this year. The fishermen have to
make more effort and go more distance fishing grounds for fishing. The main reasons of fishery
resources declining are applying IUU fishing gears/ methods, entering offshore fishing vessels
into inshore fishing areas, fishing at fishing spawning season, shallowing of fishing grounds,
poor law enforcement system together with lack of active participation of multi-stakeholders in
resource conservation. In addition, the water quality was degrading due to the poor waste
management system of local communities and effects of gold mining industry locates at Sittaung
River Upstream Area.
Some of the fishers stop fishing in closed season but most of the fishers do fishing for year-round
and they do intensive fishing especially in fish spawning seasons because of high demand for
fish with eggs. Before military coup, the local fishery communities used to follow the legal
restriction in fishing by using legalized fishing gears and stop fishing in closed season. But after
coup, a lot of migrant fishers are coming for fishing for year-round by using destructive fishing
gears and so, the local fishers also applied these ways since there was no representative bodies to
prevent these illegal fishers and fishing approaches. Such emerging of illegalized fishing in the
inshore fishing grounds causing the dramatically decreasing of fishery resources in this situation.
 “We are no more to comply the legalized fishing approaches/ gears since there were
increased illegal fisher population. If we still comply the legalized fishing gears in
fishing, we will get noting” said by SSF.
The townships such as Thaton, Belin, Paung and Chaung Zone have mangrove conservation
zones supported by GoM Project and Wold View International Organization and the
communities are fully aware on the impacts of mangrove. However, most parts of the coastal
areas are still facing the mangrove deforestation due to the farmers’ efforts for farmland
extension, poor management system of local authorities and waste management system of local
communities.

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

Governance
The fishery communities of Mon State used to apply the fishing license and there were no
changes in licening process. The fishers have to give 5,000 – 8,000 MMK to Kyeikhto DoF for
fishing in Sittaung River and to Mawlayine DoF for fishing in Thanlwin River. In addition, they
have to pay 4,000 to 10,000 MMK for boat license. In Belin Township, there was leasable
fishing grounds, and the tender calling system was applied by DoF. The local fishers who want
to do fishing at these tender fishing grounds, they have to pay approximately 20,000 MMK for
year-round fishing to tender winner. For the inshore and offshore fishing, the fishers have to
make license at their respective townships’ DoF. At some of the Townships, the DoF used to
visit to villages to make fishing license for fishers in collaboration with village administrators.
But these practices are now stopping due to their security concern after the coup and so, some of
the fishery communities are stopping in making of fishing license.
Most of the fishery communities in Mon State are aware on fishery law due to the awareness
system of GoM Project together with DoF. Especially they know the legal restriction and Do &
Don’t in fishing and most of the fishery communities have Awareness related Vinyl Posters
installed by DoF and GoM project. In addition, most of the small-scale fishery communities had
involved in public consultation events organized by the Mon State Parliaments in fishery law
amending and it was found that the new Mon State Fishery Law was supportive for SSFs.
However, the fishery communities are now hard to comply the changed law due to the increasing
of destructive fishing by migrant fishers and ignorance of local authorities for law enforcement.
 “Who will follow the law since even local authorities ignored for enforcement” said by
member of FDA.
Most of the fishery communities in Mon State have the fishery groups, other livelihood related
groups and saving groups, were organized by the development projects and microfinance
institutes. The Fisher Development Associations were formed at Township level and District
Level through the community’s election process facilitated by GoM project. The FDAs were
standing at vital role for fishery sector development in Mon State by organizing law awareness
campaign at communities’ level in collaboration with DoF, leading in resource conservation and
law enforcement, advocating the fishery communities’ issues to related stakeholders and
government bodies.
At the townships such as Kyeikhto, Belin, Thaton, Bilukyun and Chaungzone, the mangrove
conservation zones, mud-crab conservation zones and fishery co-management zones were
identified and demarcated by FDAs with the supports of DoF and GoM project since 2017. In
addition, the fishery co-management plans were developed at the township level, and which were
endorsed by the Mon State Government. According to the management, the patrolling team was
organized with the members of local Fisher Development Associations (FDAs), Mon State
Fishery Federation (MsFF), DoF, Police Force and local administrators, with the legal supports
from Mon State Governments. Through the regular patrolling system, the illegal fishers were
taken the penalties/ actions and their destructive fishing gears were destroyed. Therefore, the

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

illegal fishing was eliminated, and the fishery resources were increasing during the period of
2018 to 2020.
 “We brough the good achievement for Fishery Sector Development in past. But now
all is over” said by leaders of FDA.
After the coup, the governmental departments are not involved in patrolling and the patrolling
team was strictly forbidden by the SAC assigned administrative bodies. In 2021, the patrolling
team was arrested by the military in sea and put into jail for 2 days. Then, the plan of FDAs was
investigated, and the members of FDA were monitored by the local authorities and police forces.
Therefore, the resource conservation efforts including patrolling were stopped in mid of 2021
and some of the members of FDA were quitted for their security concern. As consequences, a lot
of illegal fishermen using the destructive fishing gears are emerging at inshore fishing grounds as
well as Sittaung river and series of conflicts are happening between inshore and offshore fishing
communities while there is no representative body to solve the issues for SSFs.
 “There was nobody, no institutions to solve the issues of SSF. Who dare to against
military? We are not. Our experiences of 2 days in Jail is good enough to stop” said by
leaders of FDA.

The Situations in Ayeyarwaddy Region

Social Wellbeing of SSF in Ayeyarwaddy Region
Fishing is a crucial economic activity in Ayeyarwaddy and constitutes an estimated 25 % of the
Region's estimated economic value. It is also estimated that nearly half of the Region’s
population relies either on fishing alone or a combination of fishing and agriculture. In
Ayeyarwady Region, the tender and leasable fisheries (locally know as “Inn”) systems have been
applied since colonial times and they are administered by the Department of Fisheries (DoF).
Out of total fishery communities, nearly 80% of are small scale fishers and who were allowed to
fish in leasehold or tender fishing areas by informal ‘license fee’ to the tender winners.
Most of the fishery communities were used to send their children to schools and there was no
concern for existing political crisis. Most of the small-scale fishery communities are facing the
challenges to access the fishing areas as well as the market. They are now having low catches,
low prices, inadequate capital, and poor access to credit while increasing their vulnerability and
food insecurity. Limited access to natural resources makes many fishers have struggles to survive
and limited opportunities to escape from poverty.
The way of access to fishing is changed after abolition of community-based fisheries in
Ayeyarwaddy Region in September 2021 by de-facto authorities. Starting in 2017, the regional
government enacted the <40 lakhs policies that allowed the fisher associations to get direct
assess to fishing ground without needing to compete the tender and they can get the lease with
the tender, valued under 40 lakhs, at the floor prices. Therefore, most of the small-scale fisher
groups in Ayeryarwaddy region have received the fishing grounds, valued under 40 lakhs, with
floor prices plus an additional yearly increased 10% taxation rate. Under this arrangement, they
just need to submit the tender application form to DoF together with 100,000 MMK for fish

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

larvae cost for the whole year. But now, the fishing ground tenure rights are allocated through
auction system and so, the SSF have to compete with elite fishers to access all forms of fishing
grounds.
By the auction system, the winner of tender has the exclusive fishing rights and most of the
winner are like as elite fishers and businessmen since the SSF have limited financial capacity to
do competition with them. Therefore, the SSF have to rely on tender winners to access fishing
with informal prices for unproductive parts of fishing grounds. Access to productive fishing
grounds from tender winner is depended on their given price of SSF. In some case, the cash
amount that received as fees for fishing from SSF, is much higher than the tender prices and so,
it’s made the decreasing of SSF income and increasing of dept in future.
Since the access to fishing is struggled for SSF, some of the fishermen left their fishing business
and worked as casual labor in farming sector. In some case, some of the fishermen migrated to
Community Forestry Areas of Bagalay and do illegal production of timber and nontimber forest
for their livelihood survival.
The impact of COVID-19 on SSF communities was quite heavy: most of the fishers reported a
reduction in income, owing to restrictions on mobility which affected fish trade. Fishers reported
consuming all their savings and exhausting most of their stored food; some reported to have
reduced their expenses on food and other essentials and making do with less. The situation was
aggravated by a lack of alternative employment opportunities within the area, while mobility
restrictions (including the night curfew) restricted their ability to seek opportunities elsewhere.
The fishers’ conditions were also exacerbated by the fact that most of them had taken loans from
moneylenders for their subsistence needs. The cost of servicing this loan would be quite high,
especially in the face of few income sources being available to the fishers. It was anticipated that
food insecurity would be exacerbated among the poor landless/fishing households under the
burden of reduced earnings, increased debt, rising costs, eventual default of their loans, and more
serious consequences all round, if they don’t have proper access to fishing rights and legal
supports for government.
Ecological Wellbeing of SSF in Ayeyarwaddy Region
Before the coup, most of the communities’ fishery groups had their owned efforts in resource
conservation at their fishing grounds that granted by <40 lakhs policy and some of them received
grants supports for resource conservation from development agencies. At most of the townships,
the Fisher Development Associations (FDAs), formed by NAG’s project, developed the
communities’ level fishery co-management plan covering resource conservation and it was
submitted to DoF together with the inn/ tender application. This management plans were applied
as mandatory guideline when they received the fishing grounds and doing fishing at there.
Therefore, the fishery resources are increasing during the period of 2019 – 2021 in some
townships of Ayeyarwaddy region.
The many successes of conservation measure in pasts were being undermined by the political
crisis, pushing poor people to exploit whatever natural resources were accessible to them. After

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

the coup, the abolition of community-based fisheries in Ayeyarwaddy Region makes the no
longer feasibility to access fishing rights for small-scale fishers through the collective actions.
This action was resulted to return the old system of fishing ground tenure rights being auctioned
to elite class and the conservation measures were failure under the production/ revenue-oriented
approaches. The short-term leasehold and tender periods (1 – 3 years) have encouraged operators
to extract as many fish as they can and discourage longer-term management views and
sustainable practices, leading to an accelerating decline of fisheries resources.

Governance
Most of the fishery communities of Ayeayrwaddy region have fisher groups/ committees and
associations formed by Development agencies since 2015. The Fisher Development Association
(FDAs) were formed at township level in most of townships and it was incorporated into the
Ayeyarwaddy Regional Fisheries Network (ARFN). The FDAs are running in vital role in
fishery sector development of Ayeyarwaddy Region by leading in developing community-led
resource conservation proposals, preparing the inn/ tender application to DoF, organizing the
fishery law awareness activities/ campaign, advocating for the rights for SSFs and providing
technical backstopping for resource conservation and leading to form fishery groups and
associations in closed collaboration with DoF and development agencies.
In Ayeyarwaddy Region, the “<40 Lakhs Inn/tender Allocation with Floor Price Policy” was
emerged in 2017 by the initiatives of the Regional Minister of Agriculture U Ba Hein. This
policy was welcomed by the local small-scale fishery communities, and it was supportive for
SSF to improve access to fishing rights with floor prices without needing to compete at auction
system. The new Ayeyarwaddy Freshwater Fishery Law was enacted in April 2018, and it was
appeared through the series of communities’ consultation events. The new law granted the rights
to form the community fishery association, establish internal rules and bylaws to operate
community fisheries in the Region. In Ayeyarwaddy, most of the fishery communities are aware
on existing fishery laws due to the law awareness raising activities of FDAs and the vinyl posters
were installed at village level.
After the coup, the SAC removed the section of Legal provision community-based fisheries from
the Ayeyarwaddy Freshwater Fishery Law in September 2021. Therefore, it was resulted the lack
of guarantee for SSF associations for access to fishing rights. This change in policy returns to the
old system of fishing ground tenure rights being auctioned to influential persons worsening the
state of Small-Scale fisheries with the exclusive authority and control in hand of DoF. As the
new instruction of the de facto government, the allocation of fishing grounds must be passed
through tender auction, and everybody need to apply the process individually. This changed
political system allowed the illegal fishing to go unchecked and so a lot of illegal fishing
practices are emerging in many places due to the lack of law enforcement and participation of
fishery communities.
The DoF standing with the new arrangement of SAC since they preferred to control for overall
fishery management in the hand of one-line department rather than sharing power to fisher

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

associations. On the other hand, the informal bribes payment, locally called “Pann Kyay”, is
being popular in the process of fishing ground tender auction system and the SSFs have concerns
about that there will be an increasing number of competing bidders who will be bid in the
auction just for getting Pann Kyay.
The impacts of changed fishery laws causing the negative impacts of the Fishery Associations.
Because most of the members joined to fishery groups/ associations to be able secure the fishing
rights. But now, there was lack of guarantee for SSF association for fishing rights and so, some
of the members left the associations and engaged with elite fishers for their survival. Therefore,
most of the fishery associations are needed to be reformed and their strategy for Fishery Sector
Development needs to be updated with existing political situation and changed fishery policies.

The Situations in Tanintharyi Region

The Tanintharyi Region is located the long narrow southern part of the country. It borders the
Andaman Sea to the west and Tenasserim Hills, beyond which line Thailand, to the east. The
north is the Mon State. There are many islands of the cost, the large Mergui Archipelago in the
southern and central coastal areas and the smaller Moscos Islands off the northern shores. The
main economy is subsistent agriculture and fisheries. A prominent and controversial driver of the
Tanintharyi economy are the vast rubber and palm oil plantations, most of which are in the
lowland south.
Social Wellbeing of SSF in West Tanintharyi Region
The local fishers are changing their fishing ground, but fishing methods are not changed. They
are only using traditional ways. Their fishing ground is an open access area and especially
fishing in brackish and inshore areas. Fishers from other communities are fishing in same area.
The SSF main fishing gears are trammel net, bottom set gill net, drift gill net, beach seine, stow
net, etc. The main fish species are Hilsa Shad, Barramundi, Snapper, Crab, Ray, Shrimp,
Pomfret, etc. Fishing products is decreasing two third comparing last year because fishers are
increased, caught small size of fishes, and used small mash size. Currently, they are fishing the
whole year.
 “The income is just enough to survive; I’m worry to become other health issue in my family”
said by small-scale fisher.

The fisheries income is not enough for SSF, and they worked as casual labor and take money
from money lender. Basic food price and commodity fishing price are increasing two or three
times compared with before coup and covid. But the fish price is stable and same as before coup
and covid. Moreover, the fish demand is also decline currently. So, small-scale fishers are selling
their product in community and nearby community.
Community social activity are not able to conduct because of fishing income is decline.
Religious affairs are decreased in fishing community. Most of the young people participation are
decline and not living in their community. Mostly they are working in other cities and countries.

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

During the epidemic of Covid-19, the fish price fluctuation was unstable and mostly leading to
decline. The fish demands were also decline. The buyer/collector did not come and buy their
product when Covid 19 positive patient had been found in community. After the coup, small-
scale fishers are difficult to fish during nighttime. It is huge impact for SSF.
Ecological Wellbeing
The fisheries resources are declining significantly, and the main habitat of mangrove forest are
also facing deforestation. The main reason of mangrove deforestation is producing charcoal
activity. Other fishery issues are trawl fishing near shore area, raft stow net (kyar phaung), stow
net, beach seine are using with small mash size and the fisher of destructive fishing gears user
are increased and lack of fishing ground for drift gill net and gill net fisher. There are also have
environment impacts which are gravel and sand production, shallow water, irregular littering,
erosion, and water level increased than the normal.
Governance
The small-scale fishers of West Tanintharyi Region are not applied for fishing license. Raft stow
net (kyar phaung) license price are increased than the last years. It there does not have any
awareness activities of fisheries law and regulation. SSF don’t know about the current fisheries
rules and regulations. That is why SSF do not know the current fishery law and policies are
harmonious with their requirements. Some fishers knew about the close season and restricted
fishing on shark, dolphin, porpoise, and turtle species. Fishing community does not have
fisheries management committee/group and the community participation are also decline. IUU
fishing practice are increasing but it does not have any action taken.

The Situations in Rakhine State

The Rakhine State is located in western part of the Myanmar. The situation of Northern and
Southern Rakhine state are different because Nothern Rakhine State are more effected during the
conflict between military and Arakan Armey (AA). Most effected area were Pauktaw,
Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Maung Daw, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Myebon, Mrauk U, Ann
and Sittwe Township2.
Arakan Armey (AA) and the Myanmar Military armed conflict has been broken out in January
2019. The conflict has led to civilian casualties and the destruction of property that has spread to
nine townships of Rakhine State (Buthidaung, Kyauktaw, Maungdaw, Minbya, Mrauk-U,
Myebon, Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, Rathedaung) and Paletwa Township in neighboring Chin State.
Ann and Kyaukphyu townships have been affected at certain points.3
Nothern area where Gwa, Thandwe, Tounggup and Rammar Township did not affect the armed
conflict between AA and military.

2
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Rakhine_State
3
UNHCR and OCHA report https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/myanmar-conflict-between-arakan-army-
and-myanmar-military-update-humanitarian-needs

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

Social Wellbeing of SSF in Rakhine State

In Northern Rakhine area, the local fisher are fish in same fishing ground and use traditional
methods. During the Covid-19 outbreak period, children were not attended the school. Some
small-scale fishers’ children are not able to attend the school. One child able to attend school out
of four children. Their fishing ground is an open access area and especially fishing in brackish
and inshore areas. The main fishing gears are trammel net, stow net, drift gill net, longline,
bottom set gill net, set gill net, push net, fence net and crab trap. Stow net owners are not able to
use engine because the fuel price is increased. They have been rent boat to go to the fishing
ground. The boat rental price is 40,000MMK per month. Currently they are using paddle instead
of engine for going to fishing ground. Sometimes, they are using one engine connecting with two
or three boats. Between stow net and other fishing gears has conflict because stow net use a lot
of piles under the water. It can damage other fishing gears especially on drift gill net and
trammel net. The main fishing area is the especially in nearby community and Hunter Bay but
during raining season, fisher migrated to fish in Kyauk Phyu river. Longline fisheries are
especially fish in Kaladan river. There are two types of migrant fishers who are permeant
migration and temporary migration only fishing season.
 “I have been used 200 crab traps, currently I have 80 crab traps. But I can’t able to replace
and buy new crab traps” said by small-scale fisher.

The targeted fish species are goldfish, shrimp, long tongue soul, barramundi, small ray, mantis
shrimp, mullet, croaker, mud crab, etc. Some fish species are no longer seen in their fishing area.
Sometimes, they catch a lot of jelly fish but currently it does not have market to sell.
Community social activities can conduct as a normal status. The young people are actively
participated community social work who are currently staying in community. Most of the youths
are currently working in other cities and countries because of economic situation.
Women are participated in fish processing and selling. At the current situation, women are
participating in fishing because of not able to hire crew. It there does not have processing and
value add technology and knowledge. Current Covid-19 and coup situation, the fish market
demand and the price are decline.
The fisheries income is not enough to survive. So, they take the lone from trader and money
lander. The interest rate is 5% with collateral to 10% with non-collateral from money lander.
From trader, they provide fishing gears or boats to fishers. The fishers pay back with one year
and they collect their product. If the fishers are not able to pay with a year, the trader take back
their fishing gears and boat. Remaining deft need to pay back with 5% interest rate.
Moreover, the fishers work as casual labor, collect clam and wood cutting on the mountain to
solve their food security.
In Southern Rakhine area, the local fishers are use the same fishing ground. The fishing methods
are more modernize in some area. They are using sonar, GPS and increase the size of fishing
gears for fishing. The main fishing gears are purse seine, beach seine, trammel net, drift gill net,
bottom set gill net, longline and dive fishing. Migrant fishers/crews come from Ayeyarwady

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

Region and Northern Rakhin area. Current coup and covid-19 situation, most of the market
buyers and demand are declining and lack of barging power, fishing inputs prices and
transportation challenges. Fresh fish price are decline because they does not have storage
facilities and ice. Community social work are not able to conduct in Southern Rakhine area.
Women are participated in fish processing process in summer season. In raining season, women
work in paddy field. Current political changes are force to stop their fisheries work because of all
fisheries input prices are increased.
Ecological Wellbeing
In Nothern Rakhine area, the fish productions are decline compare with last year and the fish size
are also smaller. Fishers are fish the whole year and the fishers are also increasing. The fisheries
issues are using trawl fishing in near shore and mouth of the river. It can cause resources
depletion. Others are increasing the plastic waste in the river/sea, deforestation, temperature
increase, sedimentation, and shallow river water.
In Southern Rakhine area, the fish productions are decline, the fish size are small and going to
fish more far from the shoreline. In Kyeintali inshore area is nominated as co-management area.
It has no fishing zone, conservation zone, mash size restricted zone, gears restricted zone, etc.
Increasing the sand and gravel production related with hotel zone development, mangrove
deforestation, increasing waste are affecting on fisheries resources. Baby trawl and poisoning
fishing are significantly damage fish habitats and marine environment.
 “If dive fisher use poison in rocky area, we cannot see any fish two or three months in this
area.”

Governance
In Northern Rakhine area, fishing gears and boats license fees has not been collecting since
2019. Department of Fisheries (DoF) does not take any action on illegal fishing like trawl
fishery, issues between fishers. The SSF fishers knew about the close season and restricted
species of turtle and shark. Fishing community does not have fisheries management
committee/group in their community. Some communities have specific fishing gears committee
which is fence net fishing group formed with 65 members. For their safety, fisher bring plastic
bucket during their fishing time.
In Southern Rakhine area, fishing gear and boat license fees are issued by DoF and the license
price are increased. Fishers do not make fisher identification card. In this area have local
associations focused on fisheries and conservation which are Rakhine Coastal Conservation
Association (RCA), Kyeintali Inshore Fisheries Co-Management Committee. Some fishers know
the current fisheries rules and regulations especially on illegal fishing practices. The main illegal
fishing practices are attractive fishing and poisoning fishing. Fishers suggest the current fisheries
law and policies are not harmonies with their fishing practices. Some area already has fisher
committees. KIFCA formed the village revolving fund committee in Kyeintali Town area and
provide lone funding to small-scale fishers with less interest rate. The committees are especially
leading by women.

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 Fishery Governance in Myanmar | FAO

Conclusion and Recommendations

Whereas the importance of the fisheries sector in terms of employment, poverty reduction and
revenues, as largely affected by the Covid -19 for its performance over the last two year and
recent political crisis. The recommendation based on the research findings can be seen as
following:
Alternative Livelihood Opportunities: The FAO should further analyze both political contexts
and technical feasibility by reviewing current theory of change, livelihoods strategy including
EAFM approach. Regarding to the fishery sector development, Aquaculture component also
should be developed need to find the ways to success. Because there was poor visibility of
legalization and technical issues that hindering to be success. Whether patrolling activity alone in
restricting those illegal fishing practices is the right solution can be debated. Without having new
livelihoods opportunities or other incentives for those illegal fishers, it is highly unlikely to stop
those illegal fishers. The SME program together with its’ market linkages also should be
considered for the livelihood survival of SSFs.
Sustainability of existing local fishery groups or associations: The role of fishery groups/
associations is still critical although their power was shrunk down due to the impacts of fishery
policy changes. Therefore, the FAO should analyze to understand the needs of fishery
associations and need to equip adaptative capacity to be able to response fishery related issues
and challenges.
Provision of Small Grant for access to tenure rights: There was no guarantee for SSFs and
related associations for access to fishing grounds if they don’t have financial capacity to compete
with elite fishers at government’s tender auction. Without getting the allocation of fishing
grounds, the conservation measures will not be feasible and so, the fishery resources will be
disappeared due to the production-oriented fishing approaches of elite fishers. Therefore, the
small grant should be provided to SSFs/ association to be able to access fishing grounds for their
livelihood survival and allow for resource conservation.

Situational Analysis Report pg. 21