06-07-2017
Community and government co-management of fishery resources will be included in the draft of the new Myanmar Marine Law, which will be presented to Parliament, said the leader of the Union Government’s parliamentary agricultural, livestock and fishery development committee, Dr. U Win Myint. The committee of which Dr U Win Myint is secretary, is currently drafting the new marine law and Dr Myint was speaking at the end of a Fishery Co-management workshop in Kyaukphyu on Friday, February 24.
The two day multi-stakeholder workshop gave fishermen the opportunity to express their concerns to decision makers. While fishermen are committed to the three month non-fishing period to allow fish to breed, they say financial relief is critical to meet the needs of their families during this time. In response, U Win Myint said the committee would present a case to parliament to support small scale fishers.
“We will discuss possible supports for small scale fishermen to provide alternative livelihoods during closed fishing seasons,” he said.
Better Life Organisation (BLO) facilitated the workshop, creating opportunities for village fishermen to communicate directly with members of the Upper House of Parliament, the Rakhine State director of the Department of Fisheries, and staff from the Cooperatives Department.
BLO advisor, Rick Gregory, who supported the development of the BLO Fishery Co-management project in Kyaukphyu said the consultative approach that the drafting committee are using, including participation in the BLO workshop showed a fundamental shift in the way Myanmar drafts laws.
“Laws in Myanmar used to be drafted behind closed doors. This committee has come to consult with and hear the challenges people face. There is a fundamental, basic democratic principal in action here. This is very exciting.” Gregory credited the BLO programme for empowering fishing communities to speak up, saying the organisation created an awareness of the need for a legal framework for the co-management of fisheries.
“They established a strong sustainable culture of leadership at village level and this is the cornerstone of Fishery Co-management,“ Gregory said.
BLO facilitated the Fishery Co-management pilot as a project under the LIFT funded Tat Lan programme in Rakhine State.
