Impacts of flood control schemes on inland fisheries in Bangladesh: guidelines for mitigation

• Published in: Hydrobiologia Vol. 609; no. 1; pp. 45 - 58
• Main Authors: Halls, A. S., Payne, A. I., Alam, S. S., Barman, S. K.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.09.2008; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural industry; Agricultural production; Animal and plant ecology; Animal migration; Animal populations; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotelemetry; Climate change; Dry season; Ecology; Eifac 2006: Dams; Embankments; Exploitation and management of natural biological resources (hunting, fishing and exploited populations survey, etc.); Fish; Fisheries; Flood control; Flood irrigation; Flood protection; Floodplains; Floods; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Hydroelectric power; Inland fisheries; Life Sciences; Migratory species; Sluice gates; Species richness; Synecology; Water levels; Weirs and Fish; Zoology; Tagging; Sluice gates; Depletion; Flood control; Migrations; Aquatic environment; Fishery; Bangladesh; Flood; Hydrobiology; Migration; Continental environment; Pollution abatement; Tagging· Sluice gates Flood control
• ISSN: 0018-8158; 1573-5117
• DOI: 10.1007/s10750-008-9402-4

Flood control, drainage and irrigation (FCDI) schemes are widespread in Bangladesh. They are built to control water levels to improve agricultural production based on high yielding varieties (HYV) of rice that cannot tolerate rapid inundation or that require irrigation, and to provide protection from extreme flood events. The benefits to the agricultural sector can be significant. At some sites in Bangladesh, farmers report up to 80% more agricultural production inside the schemes than outside. However, fish production and species richness is typically lowered by these structures. Fish yields inside a typical flood control compartment can be 50% lower than outside, with up to 25 species of fish absent or less abundant. Lower rates of recruitment of migratory whitefish species, whose lateral migrations are obstructed by the embankments, were found to be largely responsible for these differences. With a risk of more extreme flooding during the monsoon season but hotter and more arid dry season conditions predicted as a consequence of climate change, more FCDI schemes may need to be constructed to provide flood protection and to meet increasing irrigation needs. Based on fisheries monitoring and mark-recapture studies undertaken at 3 sluice gates, nine recommendations for operating sluice gates to mitigate the impacts of FCDI schemes on fish production and biodiversity are described. These recommendations aim to improve the access of migratory whitefish to modified floodplains and to improve or sustain the production of resident (non-migratory) blackfish whilst minimising agricultural sector losses.