| Author | Sommano Phounsavath |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no. AS-98-21 |
| Subject(s) | Fisheries--Laos
|
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | An assessment was made of the present management system of the fisheries in the
Nam Ngum reservoir to investigate the existing potentials of the local communities to be
involved and to participate in the development of a community-based fisheries management
system. The study was primarily focused on two major fishing communities of the Nam
Ngum reservoir, namely the Phonsavath and Xai Oudom villages, in order to investigate their
existing institutional structures and types of organizations that directly affected the
management of fisheries. Different attitudes of the local fishers toward the establishment of a
community-based fisheries management system were also investigated. A total of 150 fisher
households were interviewed using structured questionnaires. The assessment of local
institutions and organizations was conducted through the method of Rapid Appraisal of
Fisheries Management Systems or RAFMS (Pido et al., 1996).
The results revealed the existence of different traditional institutional structures and
organizations involved in the management of fisheries in the two villages, as well as different
fishers' behaviors and fishing practices. The majority of all respondents from both villages
(79%) agreed toward the establishment and legislation of village management zone,
however, with preference for a district-level partitioning of the reservoir fishing boundaries.
The majority of all respondents (93%) were well aware of the current fishing regulations. A
significant proportion of respondents (85%) were in agreement to comply with the
establishment of a fishing license system provided the regulation would receive unanimous
support from the majority of fishers. All of the respondents agreed to comply with the
regulation of closed fishing season without any exception. The majority of all respondents
(59%) had a positive attitude in relation to the establishment of a fishers association,
however, only a minority of respondents (43%) were interested to participate in such an
organization. Nevertheless, the most favoured structure of fishers association was suggested
to be established at the village level, and appropriately divided into fishing units under equal
conditions for all types of fishers irrespective of the types of fishing gears.
The main pre-requisites for the development of a community-based fisheries
management system in the study area still were not yet developed, such as interests and
willingness for the establishment of fishers associations, and voluntary and responsible
fishers compliance with fishing regulations. Means to facilitate such development were either
lacking or unclearly defined. However, the establishment of management zones and
fishermen associations could be promoted at the village level, when further investigation
should be made for possible stratification of reservoir fishing boundaries at the district level. |
| Year | 1998 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Aquatic Systems (AS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Hambrey, John B. ;Edwards, Peter; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Lin, C. Kwei ;Demaine, Harvey; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Mekong River Commission; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1998 |