| dc.description.abstract |
Inland capture fisheries provide a valuable contribution to food security in the Mekong
Basin. However, official national estimates of this contribution have consistently
been lower than estimates derived from more focused and localized fishery surveys.
Thus, inland capture fisheries are undervalued by decision makers and development
agencies. The poor state of knowledge on inland fisheries arises from the diverse
nature of inland fisheries, that fisheries are often small-scale and dispersed over large
areas, that inland fishers have inadequate political power, the misconception that
inland fisheries are not valuable, the local consumption or bartering of inland fisheries
harvest, and the excessive power of certain stakeholders that do not want the actual
value known.
Development activities may then inappropriately focus on other sectors at the expense
of rural communities that depend on inland fisheries. Accurate information on the
contribution of inland fisheries is essential for responsible development. Key uses of
accurate information identified at the Expert Consultation were: i) to determine the
status and trends of the fishery and the environment, ii) to assess correctly the value
of inland fisheries, iii) to allocate appropriate resources to the inland fishery sector,
and iv) to fulfill international obligations. |
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