Fishermen in Bogale enjoy big post-Nargis catches.

FOLLOWING a virtual moratorium on fishing activity in the Ayeyarwady delta following cyclone Nargis, officials say they are expecting to see bigger catches as fishermen get back to work.

“Fishing stopped in the delta for more than a month after the cyclone and as people start fishing again they’re reporting big and easy catches of fish and shrimp,” said U Htay Myint, the chairman of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation (MFF).

He said that in his mind, nature has provided a lesson for how fisheries resources can be conserved and sustained.

“After only one and a half months of no fishing, the delta is proving big catches for fishermen. If we designated two months a year as no-fishing seasons to allow fish populations to recover, we can guess how much we would benefit with bigger catches when fishing started again,” he said.

However, he said proper research would need to be conducted to determine the best way to carry out such a plan.

U Win Kyaing, the secretary of the Myanmar Fresh Water Capture Fisheries Association under the MFF, said that while the storm-enforced holiday from fishing had helped depleted resources to recover, the big catches could not be solely attributed to the effects of the cyclone.

“Early rainfall during this year’s monsoon has helped freshwater fishery resources to grow because it has provided expanded spawning grounds in flooded rivers and fields,” he said.

“Last year we saw the same situation. There was early rainfall and many fields were flooded, especially in the delta, so there were more spawning grounds and habitat for fish,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Mandalay Division Department of Fisheries is planning to release about 135 million juvenile fish into the Ayeyarwady and Chindwin rivers starting this week.

An official from the department said they have released fish into rivers, reservoirs, dams and lakes every year since 2001 with the aim of renewing the country’s freshwater resources.

“This year we’re releasing about 400,000 fewer fish than last year,” he said. “In the past we have had to release more fish in Sagaing and Magwe divisions but now these areas can produce sufficient fish from their own hatcheries,” he said.

In 2007-2008 fiscal year, five hatcheries in Mandalay Division produced about 130 million juvenile fish, about 20 million less than the previous year. Most of them are hatched for release into natural bodies of water.

The official said that about 80 percent of the fish released are rohu (nga myit chin), a local carp species popular with local consumers as well as with foreign markets.