The business case for investing in Myanmar’s artisanal hilsa fishery

IIED Briefing
, 4 pages
PDF (174.05 KB)
17765IIED.pdf
Language:
English
Published: September 2020
Area(s):
IIED Briefing Papers
ISBN: 9781784318321
Product code:17765IIED

Tens of thousands of fishing families in Myanmar rely on the hilsa shad for their incomes, yet much of their catch goes unreported. As a result, current national statistics do not capture the true value of Myanmar’s artisanal hilsa fisheries and investment in their sustainable management is limited. Yet we estimate this sector is worth between US$731.4 million and US$867 million a year. To protect it, the government should consider compensating artisanal fishers for complying with new fishing regulations. Over ten years, such an incentive scheme could yield a net benefit of between US$790.4 million and $1.1 billion, with economic benefits outweighing costs by up to nine times. In addition, incentive-based management could allow the recovery of hilsa populations and their coastal and inland habitats, as well as immediately reducing the vulnerability of fishing communities.

Cite this publication

Bladon, A., Akester, M. and Burcham, L. (2020). The business case for investing in Myanmar’s artisanal hilsa fishery. .
Available at https://www.iied.org/17765iied