Isha Das

Biology and fisheries of Hilsa shad in Bay of Bengal

Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) or river shad is an anadromous fish species widely distributed in the North Indian Ocean, mainly in the Bay of Bengal (BoB). Hilsa is the national fish of Bangladesh and it contributes 10% of the total fish production of the country, with a market value of

Corrigendum to importance of fisheries for food security across three climate change vulnerable deltas Science of the total Environment 640–641 (2018) 1566–1577

1.74 billion. Hilsa also holds a very important place in the economics of West Bengal of India with 12.5% of the catch and also tops the marine capture in Myanmar. During the last two decades Hilsa production from inland waters has been stable, whereas marine yields in the BoB increased substantially. In order to sustainably manage the trans-boundary stock of Hilsa, the taxonomy, distribution, habitat, migration patterns, population dynamics, fisheries and socio-economics aspects of the fishery have been reviewed here. To achieve a successful trans-boundary management for the Hilsa stock, complete ban on undersize fishing, well-targeted temporal and spatial bans, creation of protected areas in strategic points, incentive for Hilsa fishers and ecological restoration of Hilsa habitats and more work on technological development of Hilsa aquaculture are recommended.

Importance of fisheries for food security across three climate change vulnerable deltas

a Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth PL13 DH, United Kingdom b Institute for Coastal Marine Environment (IAMC), National Research Council (CNR), Via L. Vaccara n 61, Mazara del Vallo, TP 91026, Italy c School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University, 188, Raja S. C. Mullik Road, Kolkata 700 032, India d ARAID (Aragonese Agency for Research and Development) Researcher, Agrifood Institute of Aragon (IA2), Department of Economic Analysis, Faculty of Economics and Business Studies, University of Zaragoza, Gran Vía, 2-50005 Zaragoza, Spain e BC3-Basque Centre for Climate Change – Klima Aldaketa Ikergai Edificio Sede 1, Planta 1a|Parque Científico de UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain f BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change, Scientific Campus of the University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain g Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG99, Legon, Ghana h TARA, 1 Purbachal Road, Nartheast Badda, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh i Department of Fish, Biology and Genetics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh j Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Resources Division, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Rome 00153, Italy k AZTI, Herrera Kaia Portualdea z/g, E-20110 Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) variability over the continental shelf of the northern Bay of Bengal

Deltas are home to a large and growing proportion of the worlds population, often living in conditions of extreme poverty. Deltaic ecosystems are ecologically significant as they support high biodiversity and a variety of fisheries, however these coastal environments are extremely vulnerable to climate change. The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (Bangladesh/India), the Mahanadi (India), and the Volta (Ghana) are among the most important and populous delta regions in the world and they are all considered at risk of food insecurity and climate change. The fisheries sector is vital for populations that live in the three deltas, as a source of animal protein (in Bangladesh and Ghana around 50-60% of animal protein is supplied by fish while in India this is about 12%) through subsistence fishing, as a source of employment and for the wider economy. The aquaculture sector shows a rapid growth in Bangladesh and India while in Ghana this is just starting to expand. The main exported species differ across countries with Ghana and India dominated by marine fish species, whereas Bangladesh exports shrimps and prawns. Fisheries play a more important part in the economy of Bangladesh and Ghana than for India, both men and women work in fisheries, with a higher proportion of women in the Volta then in the Asian deltas. Economic and integrated modelling using future scenarios suggest that changes in temperature and primary production could reduce fish productivity and fisheries income especially in the Volta and Bangladesh deltas, however these losses could be mitigated by reducing overfishing and improving management. The analysis provided in this paper highlights the importance of applying plans for fisheries management at regional level. Minimizing the impacts of climate change while increasing marine ecosystems resilience must be a priority for scientists and governments before these have dramatic impacts on millions of peoples lives.