Fish Diversity and Its Threatened Status of the Dharla River in Bangladesh

Fish diversity of a riverine ecosystem became reduced due to different manmade and natural calamities. This study investigated the present fish biodiversity status of the Dharla River located (25.8103° N, 89.6487° E) in the northern part of Bangladesh from January to December 2018. In this study, the existing fish biodiversity status of the Dharla River was estimated in terms of diversity indices and threatened status (both global and local). Data was collected from the three sampling sites of the river using different fishing gears and three selected fish markets located in the Kurigram district of Bangladesh. A total of 76 fish species were identified belonging to 8 orders, 26 families and 57 genera. The Cyprinidae was the most dominant family represented by 14 species followed by the Danionidae (13 species), Bagridae (8 species) and few minor families. Apart from the indigenous species, nine exotic fish species were also recorded. The Shannon-Weaver diversity (H), Pielous evenness (e) and Margalef richness (D) indices ranged from 3.00 to 3.71, 0.62 to 0.94 and 3.94 to 7.95, respectively. Out of 76 indigenous species, 28 species (37%) were identified as threatened in Bangladesh, which included critically endangered (4), vulnerable (9) and endangered (15) species. Indiscriminate fishing through poisoning and destructive fishing gears were identified as the major threats to fish biodiversity of the Dharla River. Thus, the river serves as considerable support for threatened indigenous fishes. Therefore, necessary steps are needed to stop destructive fishing, establish permanent fish sanctuaries and proper monitoring for maintaining sustainable biodiversity in the Dharla River.

Fish Biodiversity, Threat Status and Conservation Significance of the Jamuna River, Bangladesh

The present survey aimed to explore the fish fauna diversity, abundance and conservation status in the Jamuna River, a tributary of the River Brahmaputra, Bangladesh. During the study period from November 2018 to October 2019, a total of 55 species of fish were recorded, belonging to 6 orders, 20 families and 41 genera from the five selected stations near the river. Orders Cypriniformes and Siluriformes were recorded as the dominant group in the fish fauna community that comprises 34.55% and 30.91% of total species, respectively. Various types of Small Indigenous Species (SIS) and a total of 26 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red-listed species were recorded. Population indices, viz. Shannon–Weaver index (H), Simpson’s dominance index (D), Simpson’s index of diversity (1-D), Margalef’s index (d) and Evenness (E), were applied to demonstrate the species diversity, richness and evenness of fish, and their overall values were 1.28-1.48, 0.26-0.33, 0.67-0.74, 1.22-1.46 and 0.77-0.86, respectively. To sustain the prospect of fisheries biodiversity in the Jamuna River of Bangladesh, different fish management and conservation plan of action specifically establishing and maintaining fish sanctuaries, banning indiscriminate fishing and the use of destructive fishing gears for the protection of the breeding and nursery grounds of fish should be taken into consideration with utmost priority.

What's wrong with the coastal waters of Spelman Strait, Indonesia: Sustainable reef fisheries management is required

Reef fish in Spelman strait, Indonesia, is one of the fishery resources of considerable economic value. Unfortunately, there is still the use of unfriendly resources equipment (destructive fishing) that cause potential social problems. In this study, all components of the EAFM (Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management) composed of 6 domains, namely (1) fish stocks, (2) environment and ecosystem, (3) fishing techniques, (4) culture, (5) social, and (6) institutional are analyzed combining with MDS (Multidimensional Scaling). The main aim of this research is to find out the root solution for managing coral reefs in the coastal waters of Spelman Strait. The sustainability status review in the fishery resource domain, the environment and ecosystem domain, the fishery technique domain, the social domain, and the economic domain were respectively were 87.69, 88.17, 51.22, 51.61, and 72.67 which were in the category sustainable. Meanwhile, the sustainability status review in the institutional domain was 42.15, which was in the category of less sustainable. Institutions are the primary base for reef fishery protection in the Spelman Strait.

IDENTIFIKASI AKTIVITAS PERIKANAN MERUSAK DI TELUK SAWAI

Destructive fishing activities are fishing activities using materials, tools or means that damage fish resources and their environment, such as using explosives, toxic materials, strum, and other fishing gear that are not environmentally friendly (Marine and Fisheries Ministerial Decree Number 114, 2019). This activity still occurs in Maluku waters, including in Sawai Bay. The study aims to identify destructive forms of fishing in the waters of Sawai Bay and provide control recommendations to reduce the destructive fishing activity. The study was conducted in January-June 2020 in Sawai Bay. Data collection uses the purposive interview method, while the data is analyzed descriptively. The results showed that in the waters of Sawai Bay, three destructive fishing activities were identified, namely fishing using bombs/explosives, fishing using toxic materials and coral mining activities. Four control strategies are recommended as an effort to reduce destructive fishing activity in the waters of Sawai Bay in the future. ABSTRAK Aktivitas perikanan merusak atau Destructive Fishing adalah kegiatan penangkapan ikan dengan menggunakan bahan, alat atau cara yang merusak sumberdaya ikan maupun lingkungannya, seperti menggunakan bahan peledak, bahan beracun, strum, dan alat tangkap lainnya yang tidak ramah lingkungan (KepMen KP Nomor 114, 2019). Aktivitas ini masih terjadi pada perairan Maluku, termasuk di Teluk Sawai. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi bentuk-bentuk penangkapan ikan yang merusak pada perairan Teluk Sawai serta memberikan rekomendasi pengendalian untuk mereduksi aktivitas perikana. Yang merusak. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada Januari-Juni 2020 di Teluk Sawai. Pengumpulan data menggunakan metode purposive interview, sedangkan data dianalisis secara deskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pada perairan Teluk Sawai, teridentifikasi tiga aktivitas perikanan merusak yaitu penangkapan ikan menggunakan bom/bahan peledak, penangkapan ikan menggunakan bahan beracun dan aktivitas penambangan karang. Empat strategi pengendalian direkomendasikan sebagai upaya mereduksi aktivitas perikanan merusak di perairan Teluk Sawai ke depannya. Kata Kunci: perikanan merusak, penangkapan ikan, ikan karang, strategi pengendalian, Teluk Sawai

Social-ecological system in Depapre Bay Area of Jayapura Papua Indonesia

A Socio-Ecological Systems (SESs) are systems that connect human systems and natural systems by emphasizing that humans must be seen as part of, and cannot be separated from nature. Understanding SESs is very important as the main capital in planning the management of coastal and marine resources. The purpose of this study was to study SESs in Depapre Bay, Jayapura, Papua Province using the Drivers-Pressure-Impact-State-Responses (DPSIR) approach. Based on the research results, it was found that the issues and problems of SESs in Depapre Bay were related to the utilization of coastal and marine resources that were not environmentally friendly, such as the use of blast fishing and tuba root poisoning and development that did not consider the sustainability of coastal and marine resources. In addition, the response of the government and stakeholders has not focused on overcoming the damage to ecosystems and coastal and marine biological resources in an integrated manner. This can be seen from the programs carried out that are still partial, especially in the prevention of destructive fishing and the rehabilitation of coastal and marine ecosystems that have been damaged.

Impact of marine protected areas on economical important coral reef fish communities: An evaluation of the biological monitoring of coral reef fish in Anambas Islands, Indonesia

Putra RD, Siringiringo RM, Suryanti A, Sari NWP, Sinaga M, Hidayati NV, Hukom FD, Abrar M, Makatipu PC, Sianturi R, Ilham Y. 2021. Impact of marine protected areas on economical important coral reef fish communities: An evaluation of the biological monitoring of coral reef fish in Anambas Islands, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 4169-4181. The use of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is the core strategy to reduce the impact of the anthropogenic stressor on marine fisheries, especially in reducing the overexploitation of fisheries resources and destructive fishing in which this plays a significant role in the conservation of marine biodiversity and populations. We conducted a study over 4 years to evaluate and assess the impact of MPAs on economically important reef fish in the Anambas Islands. We compared density, size, biomass, and diversity indices from the seven families of coral reef fish (Acanthuridae, Haemulidae, Lethrinidae, Lutjanidae, Scaridae, Siganidae, and Serranidae) using Underwater Visual Census (UVC) with a total of 12 MPAs stations (70-m transect). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to evaluate and assess reserve protection on the coral reef fish, and several ecological indices were used to compare the potential change of economically coral reef fish diversity. We also measured the rate of change in coral cover to identify the effectiveness of the MPAs. After 4 years of studies, our result showed that there was an increase of economical reefs. Fish diversity, density, and biomass increased by 244%, 257%, and 179% respectively. There was no significant difference in the rate of coral cover change among MPAs stations. Economical coral reef fish in Anambas Islands were restored in marine reserve overtimes after fisheries restriction protection, but this does not change the rate of coral cover through time. In addition, the government managed and increased community awareness that significantly influenced decreasing destructive fishing practices and overexploited reef fish species in Anambas Islands but no change in coral cover. The MPAs environmental condition and natural disturbance, including thermal stress and high sedimentation, play a key role in coral cover recovery besides fisheries restriction in the MPAs area.

Fishes of the Lower Lulua River (Kasai Basin, Central Africa): A Continental Hotspot of Ichthyofaunal Diversity under Threat

The ichthyofauna of the Lulua River, a large right bank tributary of the Kasai River in central Africa, is among the most poorly documented in the Kasai ecoregion. To remedy this lack of knowledge, sampling was carried out between 2007 and 2014 along the main channel and in many tributaries. A total of 201 species distributed in 81 genera, 24 families, and 12 orders are reported from the lower reaches of the Lulua. The species richness reported in this study represents a substantially improved documentation of the Lulua ichthyofauna (historically estimated at only 79 species). Here, 129 species are recorded for the first time, bringing the total number of known species to 208. Among these, five have recently been described: Raiamas brachyrhabdotos Katemo Manda, Snoeks, Choca Manda, and Vreven 2018, Distichodus kasaiensis Moelants, Snoeks, and Vreven, 2018, Distichodus polli Abwe, Snoeks, Choca Manda, and Vreven 2019, Epiplatys atractus Van Der Zee, Mbimbi, and Sonnenberg 2013, and Hypsopanchax stiassnyae Van Der Zee, Sonnenberg, and Mbimbi 2015; numerous additional taxa are currently under investigation. Recognized here as a continental hotspot of ichthyofaunal diversity, the Lulua is under extreme threat from exploitation of forest products for building materials, deforestation for shifting agriculture and charcoal exploitation, destructive fishing practices, and mining, all of which are rapidly increasing in the watershed. The present study provides baseline documentation for use in conservation planning and future developmental projects in the Kasai ecoregion in general and Lulua River basin in particular.

The Importance of Involving Community Organizations for Preventing Destructive Fishing Activities in Mannar, Sri Lanka

The irresponsible destructive fishing practices with respect to the ecosystem approach have remained a major concern since the elimination of these practices has not been easy despite efforts. There is an urgent need to identify the different types of destructive fishing methods and their threats to fisheries then, to assess how the different organizations/groups/individuals confront with these threats. This study was carried out in Pesalai, a fisheries village in the Mannar district of Northern Sri Lanka in the years 2016 and 2017. The methodology employed consists of a pre-tested structured questionnaire in the field survey with a random sample of 310 fishers and a focus group discussion was conducted where 20 fishers actively participated. The results revealed that trawling net fishing, dynamite fishing, brush pile fishing, and stake net were being used extensively by the fishers. However, the use of such gears have facilitated to catch more fish and earning a high income. Resultant, the major negative impacts were gearing damages, nets damages and net loss. It is apparently found that, the majority of fisheries (93%) had faith in fisher community organizations (fisheries co-op society, the church/father and women welfare society) in terms of resolving conflicts which were raised by destructive fisheries (wrangling, argument and dissension) while 7% of the respondents have faith in the state to resolve conflicts. The fisheries believed that, the government supports for fishing activities was not well required. Hence, it is strongly concluded that the Regulations should be enforced, as a joint effort between the department of fisheries and community organizations.

Defining 'Destructive fishing': a lack of consensus inhibits effective global policy

Tackling the global problem of 'destructive fishing' is central to the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 'Life Below Water', yet the term remains vague, making it difficult to track and quantify progress. Here we evaluate the frequency and range of uses of the term 'destructive fishing' across the peer reviewed literature and media. Our research elucidated the clear lack of a consensus definition for 'destructive fishing', with only 6 academic articles to date providing a definition, and none of these matching. There is also a mismatch between regions where academia and policy identify fishing practices as 'destructive' and the regions in which the media reports it. There are however clear trends in the types of fishing activity referred to as destructive in the academic literature, media and policy, and the term is used to refer to practices beyond those previously exemplified as 'destructive' in an international policy context. We conclude that further exploration around the definition and scope of this term is warranted. By assembling a culturally and sectorally balanced pool of expert views, future research plans to use an iterative, anonymised approach to constructively address the conceptual vagueness and contention around this term.

KEBIJAKAN PENANGGULANGAN DESTRUCTIVE FISHING BERBASIS PENGAWASAN MASYARAKAT DI PROVINSI LAMPUNG

Along with the increase in capture fisheries production, the escalation of biodiversity damage has occurred in the Lampung Province sea area. This condition is one of them caused by destructive fishing activities. Destructive fishing is still a problem in the sea area of Lampung Province due to the lack of community role, especially in terms of supervision. Tackling destructive fishing based on community supervision is one form of community empowerment to play an active role and be directly involved in efforts to tackle damage to fishery resources. Therefore, this article will discuss the problem of how the condition of the case of destructive fishing in Lampung Province? How are efforts to tackle destructive fishing in Lampung Province? And what is the policy model for controlling community based destructive fishing? The results showed that from 2016 to 2019 there were 27 cases of destructive fishing that were tried at the District Court A Class Tanjung Karang. Efforts in overcoming destructive fishing in Lampung Province have so far tended to be a means of punishment or a repressive action with a criminal law approach. But in fact this effort has not been able to solve the problem of destructive fishing. Therefore, this research offers a model of controlling destructive fishing based on community supervision through the means of penal and non-penal means.Keywords: Lampung, destructive fishing, community surveillance Seiring peningkatan produksi perikanan tangkap, eskalasi kerusakan keanekaragaman hayati terjadi di wilayah laut Provinsi Lampung. Kondisi ini salah satunya disebabkan oleh kegiatan destructive fishing. Destructive fishing masih menjadi persoalan di wilayah laut Provinsi Lampung disebabkan karena minimnya peran masyarakat khususnya dalam hal pengawasan. Penanggulangan destructive fishing berbasis pengawasan masyarakat merupakan salah satu bentuk pemberdayaan masyarakat agar berperan aktif dan terlibat langsung dalam upaya penanggulangan kerusakan sumberdaya perikanan. Oleh karena itu, artikel ini akan membahas permasalahan mengenai bagaimanakah kondisi perkara destructive fishing di Provinsi Lampung? Bagaimanakah upaya penanggulangan destructive fishing di Provinsi Lampung? Dan bagaimanakah model kebijakan penanggulangan destructive fishing berbasis pengawasan masyarakat? Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa sejak tahun 2016 hingga 2019 terdapat 27 perkara destructive fishing yang di adili pada Pengadilan Negeri Kelas I A Tanjung Karang. Upaya penanggulangan destructive fishing di Provinsi Lampung selama ini cenderung pada sarana penal atau tindakan refresif dengan pendekatan hukum pidana. Namun nyatanya upaya ini belum mampu menyelesaikan persoalan destructive fishing. Oleh karena itu, penelitian ini menawarkan model penanggulangan destructive fishing berbasis pengawasan masyarakat melalui sarana penal dan sarana non penal.Kata kunci: Lampung, destructive fishing, pengawasan masyarakat