Impacts of climate change on livelihood of the fishersˊ at the Meghna, Laukhati and Galachipa river in Bangladesh

Abstract

Climate change is a global threat to the world especially for Bangladesh, due to its geographical location. The present study was carried out to the impacts of climate change on livelihood of the fishers at the Meghna, Laukhati and Galachipa river in Bangladesh. The study was assessing the effects of climate change on fishersˊ community in the Meghna, Laukhati and Galachipa rivers near Chandpur and Patuakhali districts. The data on fishersˊ livelihood were collected by using a well-developed questionnaire from the selected areas. The average temperature was recorded as 30.5±0.90°C, 27.1±1.05°C and 27.4±0.60°C and the dissolved oxygen was as 6.37±1.11 mg/L, 5.63±0.33 mg/L and 6.33±0.51 mg/L in the Meghna, Laukhati and Galachipa rivers, respectively. The pH was as 8.3±0.59, 8.03±0.50 and 7.8±0.50 and the salinity was as 0.10±0.10, 0.23±0.13 and 1.2±0.15 ppt in the Meghna, Galachipa and Laukhati rivers, respectively. In the present study, it was found that most of the fishers were belonged to the age groups of 41 to 60 years (45%), represented by 75% muslim and joint family type (61%) was the predominant among the fishers. The highest annual income of fishers was found 20,080 and 24,000 BDT per year at Chandpur and Patuakhali districts, respectively. There has not been conducted much empirical research about the impacts of climate change in the present research areas. Therefore, Government and NGOs should take proper steps by taking various need based projects and providing some sorts of management policy to rescue the vulnerable communities from climate change impacts.
 Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. March 2020, 6(1): 81-92

Impacts of climate change on fishersˊ livelihood in Kishoregonj haor region, Bangladesh

“…Ali et al (2009) found that about 42% of the fishers lived in nuclear family and rest 57.50% in the whole family in the district of Mymensingh. Rahaman et al (2020) found that most of the fishers were belonged to the age groups of 41 to 60 years (45%), represented by 75% muslim and joint family type (61%) was the predominant among the fishers. Human resource development and social advancement are dependent on the education.…”

“…Table 6 represents major problems and constraints faced by the fishers in the present study. Additionally, Islam et al (2020), Rahaman et al (2019) and Hossain et al (2018) found that the catch per unit effort of fishersˊ nets was declined due to decreased species composition. Sufian et al (2017) investigated the major problems and constraints associated with fishing and livelihood in Dekar haor of Sunamganj in Bangladesh.…”

Sustainable Semi-Intensive Aquaculture of Climbing Perch (Anabas testudineus) in Mymensingh Region, Bangladesh: A Comparative Study

“…Ahmed et al [29] recorded that dissolved oxygen contents in their experimental ponds ranged from 5.5 to 18 mg/l. Halim et al [14] recorded dissolved oxygen ranged from 1.2 to 8.5 mg/l Hossain [4] recorded DO values of fish ponds ranging from 3.8 to 6.9 mg/l and 2.04 to 7.5 mg/l respectively at Mymensingh region. From the above discussion, it may be concluded that the oxygen content of the experimental ponds were within the good productive range.…”

“…Fisheries play a vital role in nutrition, livelihood earning and export earnings in Bangladesh. Fishes contribute to 60% of animal protein intake, about 4.39% of gross domestic product and 2.46% of export earnings; approximately 1.4 million people are directly engaged in fishing, 11 million in part-time fishing and another 3 million in aquaculture activities [1][2][3][4]. However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Bangladesh [5] assessed 253 freshwater fish species and revealed 64 as threatened species in Bangladesh, of which 9 were critically endangered, 30 were endangered, 25 were vulnerable, near threatened 27, least concern 122 and 40 data deficient freshwater species [5,6].…”

“…It is one of the most importasnt fresh water perch fishes of Bangladesh which is locally known as Koi in different places of Bangladesh. In late 1980s, the catches of the fish have drastically declined from open waters due to climatic and ecological changes in inland water bodies and thus has been recognized as an endangered species [7,4]. Resulting the uneven and unplanned irrigation and land use pattern, excessive exploitation, unlawful practice of capture fisheries, water body encroachment and various ecological changes in its natural habitat; this native species is threatened now [8,9].…”