Community-based fisheries management : case study of Phat Sanday Community Fisheries in Kompong Thom province, Cambodia | |
| Author | Cheam Pe.A |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.AQ-03-23 |
| Subject(s) | Fishery management -- Cambodia Community |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environmnet, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. AQ-03-23 |
| Abstract | Inland fisheries play an important role to the livelihood of fisheries-dependent inhabitants and national income. The past management systems of fisheries focused on large-scale fishing lots auctions, resulted in tensions and conflicts between fishermen and fishing lot owner groups. As a result, the Prime Minister, Hun Sen, made the policy reform of fisheries in October, to release some parts or the whole fishing lot areas to local fishing community. Any fishing lot worth less than 30 millions Riels (around US$ 7,700) was completely cancelled. The fishing lot No.1 and No 2 locating on Phat Sanday commune, Kompong Svey District, Kompong Thom province was reduced in compliance with the sub-decree No 08 Or. Nor. Kror. Date on November 20, 2000. The Royal Government carried out this reform due to several disputes has occurred in the past between local people, private fishing lot owners and fisheries officials over the management and benefits from the fishing boundary. According to the content of the sub-decree, a community fishery, established by the Department of fisheries, would manage the fishing boundary, which has been cancelled and taken away from the private fishing lot. However, in reality the establishment of community fisheries is a complicated work, which has not yet been completed. This study is preliminary undertaken to assess the effects of the policy of government which initiative to reform in fisheries management. The study looks at the involvement of rural farmers, especially the beneficiary farmers from the two villages of Phat Sanday Commune, through key informants free interviews, PRA, closed and open-end questionnaire and group discussion. The result of the study reflects that the local people have positive attitudes and good manners on the establishment of CBFM. The rural poor have positively expected to make the betterment of their livelihoods through the fisheries resource management. They hope that the fish catch and fisheries environment can be improved when the CBFM has abolished the illegal fishing activities by conducting a good co-management framework. Contradiction, the study also found that the strategy of government has some negative effects on the rich/optimistic fishers who illegal access to do fishing in the subsistence fishing grounds. The change in fisheries management also puts the pressure on some such of local authorities and local administration who used to make profits by corrupted activities while the existing fisheries administrative systems becomes weak. Experimenting with community-based fisheries management totally appears to have a positive effect and it represents an important initiative desirability to increase and to carefully consider. The program should, however, includes a wider spectrum of stakeholders in planning and their needs, especially the rural poor. And it is better to provide appropriate trainings or lectures to local residents, local authorities and local administration intending to make them understand the procedures of fisheries resource conservation and management. The program will be widely extended and be robust when the incorporation between local administration, local authorities and publics is firmly consensus. |
| Year | 2003 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. AQ-03-23 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management (AQ) |
| Chairperson(s) | Demaine, Harvery; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Somsak Boromthanarat ;Yakupitiyage, Amararatne; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Government of Sweden under The Sida;Asian Institute of Technology Development Cooperation Programme; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2003 |