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Char dwellers are considered poorer than the mainland population. A constant threat of riverbank failure, flooding, and seasonal cyclone, combined with lack of physical infrastructures, and employment opportunities in the Chars, makes a vulnerable, difficult, and fragile life. The aim of the present work was an initiative to improve the livelihood of Char dwellers through fish culture in the net cages. A focus group survey was conducted on Char dwellers to know about the livelihood conditions. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of plankton was performed to know the productivity of the Padma River. In the study area, there was an average of 5 household members in each family of the Charland dwellers, and the average sex ratio of males and females was 56.67% and 43.33%, respectively. The age group of below 15 to 60 years and their religion ratio of Muslim and Hindu was 45% and 55%. The total number of identified genera of phytoplankton was 41, and the total number of zooplankton genera was 20 in the Padma River. Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was cultured in the net cages providing three different feeds i.e. natural feed, kitchen waste (leftover rice), and rice bran. The final weights of the experimental tilapia were 314.8 ± 24.3 g after 5 months of feeding natural food, 321.4 ± 22.8 g after 5 months of feeding natural food with kitchen waste, and 324.8 ± 29.5 g after 5 months of feeding natural food with rice bran. Considering the plankton populations and water quality parameters, the Padma River near the Charland of Munshiganj was productive for fish farming. We found the results of Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) farming in net cages near the river of Char, which were almost the same (has no significant difference among the diets) by providing low-cost supplementary feed and without supplementary feed. Therefore, the result indicates that Char dwellers can culture fishes in net cages to have the fish in their daily meals and can earn extra income from selling the fish to improve their livelihood. Moreover, applied research and interdisciplinary adaptive policy framework are requisite for the Charland livelihoods sustainability in the Padma River, Munshiganj, Bangladesh. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. 2021, 7 (2), 174-181

Fishers' are first-line observers of changes in the Sundarbans region and are among the first to be affected by the changes that occurred. In the Sundarbans fishers' communities, transformations of society have always been a part of life. In contrast, environmental changes were always interim and reversible, allowing them to understand and identify with the Sundarbans ecosystems as food and life providers. In this study, fishers' observations on climate change impacts and their livelihoods were compiled and analysed using a structured questionnaire in accordance with the tenets of grounded theory. The observations of fishers from the region of the Sundarbans demonstrated a rise in the frequency of extreme weather events caused by rising temperatures and changes in the weather pattern. Physical components such as rainfall, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, siltation alterations in fish species distribution ranges, and migratory spawning behaviours were also affected by changes in the region's weather and climate. As salinity levels rose, the diversity and productivity of river ecosystems were affected, particularly in the most vulnerable areas. As a result, river freshwater flow decreased over time. A high rate of siltation in rivers and river mouths was considered another major concern that led to seasonal flooding due to its low freshwater upstream flow rate. The Sundarbans region provides a vast array of resources for diversifying fishers' livelihoods, but climate change is diminishing these alternatives due to more frequent catastrophic events. Specifically, climate change limits the resilience of fishers' communities, restricting opportunities for diversification or forcing them to leave their homes or villages. Climate change generated an environment that was generally unfavourable for all fishing communities. In order to survive in an unfavourable environment, the social well-being of fishers (mostly women and children) was negatively impacted by a variety of challenges, including disease, lack of potable water, malnutrition, sanitary difficulties, lack of electricity, lack of food and clothing, lack of proper medical care, and so on. To evaluate the effects of climate change on fisheries in the study area, the biodiversity, abundance, and production of most freshwater species are drastically reduced due to the destruction of spawning grounds, a transition in the spawning season, and the obstruction of fish migration. The findings of this study show that the climate and livelihood conditions of fishers in the Sundarbans region have changed significantly over the past few decades. Regardless of GOs and NGOs taking the required steps, proper implementation of interdisciplinary adaptive policy and regular monitoring in the Sundarbans fisher's community in Bangladesh could effectively reduce climate change impacts and improve livelihood conditions. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. 2022, 8 (2), 103-114

Beta-glucans have immense potential to stimulate immune modulation in fish by being injected intramuscularly, supplemented with feed or immersion routes of administration. Here, we looked at how supplementing the diet of Rohu carp, Labeo rohita, with beta-glucan, influenced the immune function. A beta-glucan-supplemented diet containing 10% mushroom powder was administered for 120 days. Afterward, analyses were conducted on different immunological parameters such as antioxidants, respiratory burst, reactive oxygen species (ROS), alternative complement activity, and serum immunoglobulin, which resulted significant increases (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01) for the beta-glucan fed immune primed L. rohita, indicating enhanced immunity. Additionally, analyzing various hematological parameters such as erythrocytes and leukocytes count were assessed using standardized methods to elucidate the immunomodulatory effects, indicating a positive effect of beta-glucan on overall fish health. Furthermore, the bacterial challenge test with a 1.92×104 CFU/ml intramuscular dose of Aeromonas veronii showed an enhanced disease-defending system as total serum protein and lysozyme activity levels accelerated significantly (p < 0.01). Nevertheless, beta-glucan ameliorated the stress indicating parameters like Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) enzyme activities results suggested the fish's physiology was unaffected. Therefore, it was determined that adding dietary beta-glucan supplementation could significantly boost up the immune responses in Rohu carp.

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