Aquarium

Fisheries in Myanmar

National policy on fishery sector

• To promote all-round development in the fisheries sector;

• To increase fish production for domestic consumption and share the surplus with neighboring country;

• To encourage the expansion of marine and fresh water aquaculture;

• To upgrade the socio-economic status of fishery communities.

• To conserve the fishery resources and environment

The Responsibilities of Department of Fisheries for Development and Management

1. Conservation and rehabilition of fishery resoues;

2. Promotion of fisheries researches and surveys;

3. Collection and compilation of fishery statistics and information;

4. Extension services;

5. Supervision of fishery sectors;

6. Sustainability of fishery resources.

Fishery Production (1996-97 to 2005-06)

Unit - ' 000 MT

Fisheries components

Inland Fisheries

• Leasable fisheries

• Open Fisheries

• Reserved fisheries

Marine fisheries

• In-shore fisheries

• Off-shore fisheries

Aquaculture

• Fish

• Prawn/ Shrimp

• Others (seaweed, clams, abalone…..)

Inland Fisheries

Inland capture fisheries provides a valuable contribution to food security for the people of Myanmar, and with its surplus of production, it can also export to the neighbouring and foreign countries. As Myanmar has impressive freshwater in capture fisheries, no wonder, some of her people prefer freshwater fish to marine fish.

Myanmar has four main rivers namely Ayeyarwady, Chindwin, Sittaung and Thanlwin. Inland water bodies such as natural lake, reservoirs, river system, pond etc, cover an area about 8.2 million hectares of which 1.3 million hectares are permanent. The remaining are seasonally inundated flood plains. Myanmar owes the richness of her freshwater and brackish water fisheries to the extensive big river network system in huge delta region. The low lying areas within the food line of the river are sites of leasable fisheries and spreading in all along the delta and coastal. The inland fishery (Freshwater fisheries) is significant for the Myanmar people in terms providing food security and employment to a large number of fisheries communities and rural dwellers.

Freshwater fisheries includes leasable fisheries and opens fisheries.

Leasable Fisheries - means fisheries waters in which fishing rights are granted under a lease by the Department of Fisheries, subjects to stipulation relating to the area, species, fishing implement, period and fishing method etc.

Open Fisheries - Fisheries waters in which fishing rights are granted fishing by issue of fishing implement licence.

Freshwater fishery shall be carried out in accordance with the following objectives.

(a) to further develop the fisheries;
(b) to prevent the extinction of fish;
(c) to safeguard and prevent the destruction of freshwater fisheries water;
(d) to obtain duties and fees payable to the state;
(e) to manage the fisheries and to take action in accordance with the law.

To prevent the extinction of fish and to safeguard and prevent the destruction of fresh water fisheries water, Department of Fisheries prescribed following restriction.

• No one shall operate a fishery without a lease, license or permission issued under freshwater fisheries law.

• No one shall do the following in any freshwater fisheries waters.

  • Catching fish or causing mischief with explosive substance, poison, chemicals and dangerous material of a like nature.

  • Catching fish by a prohibited method and fishing implement.

  • Catching fish of prohibited species and size.

  • Catching fish during a prohibited period and at a prohibited place.

• No one shall erect, construct , place , maintain or use any obstruction such as a dam, bank or weir in a freshwater fisheries waters without the permission by the Department.

• No one shall do the following within the boundary of fish.

  • Cutting undergrowth or setting on fire habitual of fish.

  • Impairing the natural condition of a fishery so as to disrupt the flow of water in the main fishery.

• No one shall cause harassment of fish and other aquatic organisms or pollution of the water in a freshwater fisheries waters.

Marine Fisheries

The Department of Fisheries of Myanmar has created an appropriate legal framework and has formulated and implemented various strategies for the sustainable development and management of marine fisheries. Myanmar endowed with huge fisheries potential marine water in which fishing zones are allocated. The territorial fishing zone is within 12 nautical miles off shore from the baseline and the EEZ covers 200 nautical miles off shore from the base line. The total marine fisheries areas in Myanmar including exclusive economic zone is about 486000 square kilometers.

Marine Capture Fisheries

Marine capture fisheries can be categorized into two main types' namely inshore fisheries and offshore fisheries.

• Inshore Fishery - In -shore fishery means fishery carried out in the area five nautical miles away from shore in Rakhine, ten nautical miles in Ayeyarwady and Taninthayi coast respectively. The Fishing is done by passive fishing gears (e.g. gill nets, drift nets, long line, trap) with the non mechanized boat. If the boats are mechanized to assist moving fishing gears the engine should not be more than 10 horse power and the over all length of the boats should not be more than 30 feet.

• Offshore Fishery - Off-shore fishery means the capture fishery being operated active fishing gears (e.g. trawl nets, purse sein nets etc.) with fishing vessels more than thirty feed in over all length and engine power more than 12-Hp. The off-shore fishery fishing grounds are from outer area of demarcated in-shore fishery areas to end of EEZ. The main fishing gears used for this fishery are bottom trawl, purse seine, surrounding net, drift net, long line. Department of fisheries permitted the 2150 vessels (nationals) and the 450 vessels (foreign) in 2004-2005.

Marine Fisheries management

Myanmar Government has promulgated the fishing law (for foreign vessels) and marine fisheries law. Under the marine fisheries law, the national fishermen are given priority to fish in all fishing zones. Local offshore fishing vessels are allowed to operate outer area of inshore to the territorial while the operating under fishing rights agreement and foreign joint venture company are allowed to fish from the territorial line to the exclusive Economic Zone.

Preservation of marine species extinction, close season and close area are to be restrictive.

Aquaculture

(A) Freshwater Aquaculture

Legend of freshwater aquaculture development can be categorized as four periods as follows:

• 1954 to 1970 : Freshwater finfish culture was initiated with exotics species like Gouramy, Tilapia and Common Carp that were not so mush favourite among farmers. In 1967, induced breeding on Rohu was successful. However, that period can be identified as early period of freshwater aquaculture.

• 1971 to 1989: During to this period, seed production of major carps, Chinese carps and other commercially important species was succeeded. Freshwater fish culture became popular among the farmers.

• 1990 to 1999: The law Relating to Aquaculture was promulgated by the State Law and Order Restoration Council and development of freshwater aquaculture was accelerated due to law enforcement.

• 2000 to 2006 : Development of freshwater aquaculture is at its highest level.
  New technology on Pangasius farming through steel screen cages in the rivers has been introduced and it performs high production. Also technology on seed production and grow-out culture of mono-sex tilapia has been widely established.

In 2004-2005 area of freshwater fish pond amounted to 182452.046 acres and the existing fish pond areas of the State/Division wise is mentioned in the following pie chart.

At present the Department of Fisheries has established 24 fishery stations at strategic areas in all States and Divisions. In the year 2004-2005, those fishery stations produced the fish seed of 589.21 million and progressive seed production in comparison to last five years appears as bar-chart. Since 203-04, Department of Fisheries has initiated stocking of quality fish seed into paddy fields in order to sustain subsidized fish production. The result shows that stocking of fish seeds into paddy fields substantiate better livelihood of the paddy farmers. The Department has increased the momentum in stocking fish seeds into paddy fields. In the year 2004-05, paddy cum fish increased up to 10623.95 acre and that shows 3684.95 acres have been increased when compared to 2003-04.

Apart from these, Department of Fisheries has taken continuous measure to maintain and enhance the inland fishery resource by stocking of quality fish seeds into open waters, rivers, man-made reservoirs and natural lakes. In the year 2004-05, 24 fishery stations stocked the quality fish seeds of 236.53 million into the said water bodies.

(B) Coastal and Marine Aquaculture

1. Shrimp Aquaculture

Generally Myanmar has three types of shrimp farming existing as (1) Semi intensive or intensive shrimp pond area of 5214.55 acres (2) Extensive plus types shrimp pond area of 57236.33 aces and (3) Extensive or traditional types of shrimp pond area of 137711.56 acres totalling 200162.44 acre. In comparison to the year 2003-04, traditional types of shrimp pond area were found decreasing due to natural hazards like cyclone followed by flood and deterioration of shrimp ponds. However the figures show that semi-intensive or intensive and extensive plus type shrimp ponds areas are found increasing. Despite the constraints in terms of arising prices of feed, fuel and other overhead costs, the shrimp farmers kept on farming the shrimp. On the other side shrimp seed production amounted to 174.816 million and it was found that the production met the required seed demand. The shrimp grow-out culture in the newly constructed ponds in Myeik area has indicated better results and ideal site for shrimp grow-out culture. In addition to indigenous species of Penaeus Monodon, the shrimp farmers have become more interested in culturing a new exotic species of P.Vannamei. Department of Fisheries is taking much aware of the new species and after deliberation on advantages and disadvantages; the Department is encouraging the culture of P.Vannamei as experimental scales.

2. Sea bass Aquaculture

Seed production of sea bass, Lates Calcarifer has bee successfully conducted by a private company that is Min Zar Ni company in collaboration with Department of Fisheries. Grow-out culture of sea bass is ongoing activity and expected to have development potential in the near future.

3. Abalone Aquaculture

A private company by the name of Golden Green has successfully carried out to produce the seed of abalone, Haliotis Diversicolor and export on the piece of 125US$ kg (1000 animals). It commands the high price and expected to develop in Myanmar.

4. Seaweed Culture

A Korean private company in collaboration with Department of Fisheries has implemented and experimental culture of seaweed, Eucheuma Cotooni in Andaman sea. The result showed that the seaweeds were proliferation within two months. At present the company has submitted a proposal on seaweed farming and implementation of a factory to manufacture carrageenan of 8000 tons per year. This will create the employment opportunity for the local and rural people.