FARMER’S DECISION TO PARTICIPATE IN AQUACULTURE COOPERATIVES AND FARMING CLUSTERS IN VIETNAM: A STUDY OF SMALL-SCALE SHRIMP FARMING

Quyen T. K. Nguyen^1*, Hien V. Huynh¹, Nhan Q. Tran²

¹College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Campus 2, 3/2  Street,Xuan Khanh, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho City, Viet Nam

²College of Rural Development, Campus 2, 3/2  Street,Xuan Khanh, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho City, Viet Nam

^*Corresponding author: ntkquyen@ctu.edu.vn

Promotion of collective economic organizations such as cooperative (Co.) or farming cluster (FC) in aquaculture is to uplift farmers by providing better input services while linking output market. Therefore, this paper is empirically investigating the factors that influence small-scale shrimp farmers to participate in the Co./FC and their intensity of participation in Soc Trang province, Vietnam by surveying 254 shrimp farming households. By using Binary logistic model approach, the findings found that farmers with higher education level, longer farming experience, larger farming area, higher farm-gate selling price, closer to the Co./FC site, having access to the credit resource and attending more training course are more likely to participate in the Co./FC. The study also implies several policies to expand the collective economic forms, therefore, upgrade the small-scale shrimp farming industry.

Keywords: Binary logistic model, cooperatives, farming clusters, Litopaenus Vannamei, participation, shrimp farming.

Governance for promoting sustainable aquaculture development: a case study of Vietnam’s pangasius industry

Nguyen Thi Kim Anh¹, Nguyen Thi Tram Anh¹,Tran Thuy Chi^1*

⁽¹ Economics Faculty, Nha Trang Univiersity, Vietnam

*Corresponding author: chitt@ntu.edu.vn

The study employed a qualitative framework to investigate the association between governance and sustainability in the case of Vietnam’s pangasius industry. Secondary data were collected from government agencies, business associations, NGOs, and related research. There are muli-stakeholders involving in governance for sustainability of the industry, including: public sector, private sector and non-government organizations (NGOs). However, the study focused on the role of public governance for sustainability. Efficiency, accountability, transparency, equity and predictability are  the basic principles of good governance, which contribute to enhance sustainability of the industry. 

Key word: governance, sustainability, pangasius industry

STATUS OF FISHERY OF HILSA SHAD (Tenualosa ilisha  HAMILTON,1822) IN WAYAR CHAUNG VILLAGE, AYEYARWADY REGION

Soe Soe Htwe¹, Cherry Aung², Thida Soe¹

¹Zoology Department, Pathein University, Myanmar

²Department of Marine Science, Myeik University, Myanmar

^*Corresponding author: soesoethwe112211@gmail.com

Hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) is a commercially important species for the small-scale fishing communities in the coastal regions of Myanmar especially on Ayeyarwady Delta and Rakhine coast. The purpose of this research is to know the status of Hilsa shad fishery and its economic importance for the local communities of the Wayar Chaung Village in Ayeyarwady Region. Questionnaire survey has been conducted in the area targeting to get the data of monthly income from some fisherman households relating with Hilsa shad fishery. The ground survey in the market and fish landing sides were also conducted. Length-weight relationship was monthly examined during October 2021 to September 2022. From the result, the incomes for the months, November and December, were represented as the highest as it is the schooling period of the fishes. June and July seemed to be the lowest income as the fishing is prohibited during the rainy season. The monthly income is about 60,000,000 kyats in the highest month whereas 21,000,000 kyats in the lowest. From the survey, the largest size of the fish was recorded as 2.03 kg in wet weight.

Keywords: Ayeyarwady Region, Fishery, Hilsa shad, monthly income, Tenualosa ilisha,

INTERACTION EFFECT OF ROCK LOBSTER PUERULUS COLLECTORS ON CATCH RATES

Anes Dwi Jayanti^1,2,* Caleb Gardner¹ Rafael León¹ Emily Ogier¹ Ingrid van Putten³

¹Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies University of Tasmania, 15-21 Nubeena Cres, Taroona, Tasmania, Australia

²Fisheries Department Universitas Gadjah Mada, Flora st 1 Building 4A, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

³Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Battery Point Tasmania, Australia

^*Corresponding author:  anes.dwijayanti@utas.edu.au

Rock lobster puerulus are captured on artificial collectors for seed for aquaculture and also for fisheries management purposes where puerulus catches provide an index of natural settlement.  For both of these differences uses it is preferable that collectors act independently, not reducing or influencing catch rates on adjacent collectors.  The potential for collectors to interfere with catches on adjacent collectors when they are a short distance apart, was examined for a dataset of on average 30 years from four locations off eastern Tasmania.  Arrays of collectors were in grid and cross shaped configurations with individual collectors spaced three meters apart. Patterns in catches were examined using generalizes least squares (GLS) modelling to identify if collectors filter puerulus as they swim shoreward, testing directional, neighbour, edge and radial effects. The results revealed that no significant differences of puerulus settlement amongst collectors at this scale of spacing meaning that arrays with collectors spaced 3 m apart did not interfere with each other. This finding also shows that collectors at this spacing are imperfect capturing all puerulus, leaving considerable puerulus pass collectors without any significant reduction.  Evidently, with this collectors’ configuration and type, it cannot be assumed that recruitment to natural reef will be harmed by harvesting puerulus.

Keywords: directional effect, edge effect, neighbour effect, puerulus settlement, recruitment monitoring.

A STUDY ON THE MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM AND ITS ROLE IN ENHANCING SESARMID CRAB FISHERY IN TANINTHARYI REGION, MYANMAR

Cherry Aung¹, Thi Thi Htike ^2*, Mg Maung Wai Phyoe¹, Aung Aung Aye¹

¹Marine Science Department, Myeik University, Myanmar

²Botany Department, Pa-an University, Myanmar

^*Corresponding author: thithihtike30@gmail.com

Crabs are one of the important sources for food supply, especially in developing countries. In Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, the mud crab fishery is becoming an important livelihood for household income and food for the coastal communities. Among the commercial species of mangrove crabs, mud crab (genus Scylla) fishery is popular for its high income and increasing demand in domestic and international markets. Nowadays, sesarmid crab fishery is becoming popular as of its high demand especially export to other countries especially to Thailand. Local communities collect the sesarmid crabs form the inner mangrove especially at night. Grapsid crabs, especially sesarmid species, dominated in the mature mangrove forest (Hutchison et. al., 2014). In the present study, the diversity, abundance, production, community structure, fishery and socio-economic status of the sesarmid crabs within the mangrove areas of Tanintharyi Region were determined. Thityarwa and Panataung villages were represented as the case study sites.  Fishemen and middlemen interviews were carried out. It was indicated that an increase in number of fishermen every year, and considerable decrease in catches.

Keywords: Crab fishery, grapsid, mangrove forest, sesarmid, socio-economic survey

LESSONS LEARNED IN IMPLEMENTING CITIZEN SCIENCE APPROACH TO ESTIMATE REEF FISH STOCK IN TUN MUSTAPHA PARK, SABAH, MALAYSIA

Raymie Nurhasan^1,2*, B. Mabel Manjaji Matsumoto¹ , Hilmi Mat Ghani² , Muhammad Ulama² , Mohd Omar Bural²

¹Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Malaysia

²Marine Programme, WWF-Malaysia, No. 1 Jalan PJS 5/28A, Petaling Jaya Commercial Centre (PJCC), 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

*Corresponding author: raymie_nurhasan_dy20@iluv.ums.edu.my

Malaysia's Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) is a recently gazetted multi-use marine protected area (MPA), located on the northern coast of the State of Sabah. The TMP is unique in that it is the largest multi-use MPA in the country with the largest human coastal populations who are dependent on the living marine resources as a source of livelihood. The main objective of this study is to estimate the coral reef fish stocks of the TMP. Field data collection was made for 24 months from August 2020 until July 2022. This involves data collection from all 18 coastal fishing communities located in the TMP. For the purpose of obtaining the fisheries baseline data, we developed an enumerator program, engaging active fisherman and women involved in small-scale fishing. The data were analyzed for Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE), fishermen’s revenue, and fish species composition. In this presentation, we explore the challenges in implementing citizen science for coastal fisher folks and suggest ways in which the enumerator program may be improved based on the lessons learned. The results of this study will form part of the TMP fisheries management for improved park management.

Keywords: Citizen science, Tun Mustapha Park, Reef fishes, Fisheries stock, Fisheries management

MEASURING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF COASTAL TOURISM AND FISHERIES NEXUS IN SELECTED SMALL ISLANDS IN WESTERN VISAYAS REGION, PHILIPPINES

Cherry Pilapil Añasco^*1, Harold M. Monteclaro¹, Joy C. Lizada², Liah C. Catedrilla¹,

Carlos C. Baylon¹ and Raul G. Bradecina³

¹College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 5023 Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines

²College of Management, University of the Philippines Visayas, 5000 Iloilo City, Philippines

³Partido State University, 4422 Goa, Camarines Sur, Philippines

*Corresponding author: cpanasco@up.edu.ph

Tourism is a growing economic driver worldwide. In fact, in an archipelagic country like the Philippines, small islands are becoming popular to tourists. Local authorities usually give priority to tourism activities at the expense of space for fishing with the assumption that marginal fishers will benefit from the multiplier effect of coastal tourism. Thus, to determine the sustainability of coastal tourism and fisheries nexus (CTF) in small islands, this study measured and compared the sustainability of CTF as social ecological systems based on the perception of Actors in Boracay, Gigantes and Guimaras islands in Western Visayas, Philippines. Delphi surveys of 75 local government and other CTF officials, 396 fishers, 149 tourism enterprise personnel and 113 tourists were conducted in 2018-2019. The sustainability barometer of the International Union for Conservation of Nature was employed to determine CTF sustainability status, and Kruskal-Wallis and Games-Howell multiple comparison tests were conducted to compare sustainability ratings. Results indicated that CTF in selected small islands is on potentially sustainable status (i.e., acceptable performance, goal almost achieved) with respect to ecological and institutional dimensions, and sustainable (i.e., desirable performance, goal achieved) in socio-economic dimension. Overall, the selected small islands are in potentially sustainable status. By study site, the overall sustainability score of Gigantes Island was significantly lowest. Boracay and Guimaras were not significantly different. Interestingly, by respondent type, tourists rated all the selected small islands as sustainable with perception rating significantly higher than all other respondent types (i.e., officials, fishers and tourism enterprise personnel who perceived that their islands have potentially sustainable status). These findings suggest that from the lens of the local CTF Actors, programs and initiatives for a long-term viability of CTF are necessary so that sustainability goals will be truly achieved and for CFT to be utilized as a strategy for coastal resource management.

Key words: Coastal tourism and fisheries nexus, sustainable tourism, coastal resource management, small island