Haors of Bangladesh: Threats, Constraints and Potentialities Dr. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Haors of Bangladesh: Threats, Constraints and Potentialities Dr. Syed Ali Azher

 Haor: Bengali word ‘ haor ’ from the word ‘ sagor ’,dialectically ‘ saior ’ from ‘ sagor ’ and ‘ haor ’ from ‘ saior ’ (Khan, 1990).  Popular vatially (folk) song ‘ majhi bya jaoray- okulo saiorer majhay ’ -exhibit ‘ saior ’ as ‘ haor ’ .  During monsoon, vast and boundless deep water body of ‘ haor ’ with strong wave shows the scene of sea. Therefore, it is also called ‘inland sea’ .

Haor District and Upazila  Sunamganj: Sunamganj Sadar, Jagannathpur, Dharmapasha, Jamalganj, Chhatak, Derai, Salla, Tahirpur, Bishambarpur  Netrokona: Atpara, Barhatta, khaliajuri, Mohongonj, Madan, Kandua  Sylhet: Jaintiapur, Beanibazar, Fenchuganj, Balagonj, Biswanath  Hobiganj: Ajmerigonj, Hobiganj Sadar, Bahubal  Maulavi Bazar: Malivi Bazar Sadar, Kulaura, Rajnagar, Sreemangal  Kishorganj: Mithamain, Karimgonj, Austragram, Itna, Nikli, Bazitpur Kuliarchar, Tarail, Bhairab, Katiadi  Bramanbaria: Bhramanbaria Sadar, Nasirnagar  Total: 7 Districts and 39 Haor Upazilas (Source: Banglapedia,2003)

Total Inland Fisheries resources Occupied about 33% Total of the total area of Contribution in annual fish Bangladesh Water production (%) in 2012-13 out of Resources 3.42 mill.mt. (DoF,2014) Marine Water 17% Inland (Roughly Freshwater 166,000 km 2 , 55% EEZ -141,000 (4.70 million ha) 28% km 2 ) Closed Openwater water/Culture Fisheries fisheries (83.76%) Inland Openwater (16.24%) Inland Closed Water Marine Water

 Haor Ecosystem can be classified as follows: (A)Beel, (B)Floodplain and (C)River and Canal River Haor in monsoon Branched river Cannel River Beel Cannel Haor and Flood Plain in dry season

Area of Bangladesh 147,570 km²=1,47,57000 ha Inland Water Resources : 4.70 million ha (DoF,2014) (About 32% of total area of BD)

Fig. Contribution of fisheries sector including Haor about 2.46% of total export 2.19% of earning 60% to animal World protein production 2.45 % of total 4.37% to GDP production in Asia Fisheries Sector of BD Prawn 2.32 23.37% to and Hilsha Agriculture 3.51 mill.mt sector (2012-13) Steady 29.34% from Average inland open Growth rate water 17.12 mill. (5.99%) peoples involved

Haor ecosystem providing the following services:  Supporting livelihoods of community peoples,  Supporting the diversity and abundance of Flora and fauna  Providing important habitat and refuges for migratory, rare or threatened species,  Forming part of natural hydrological cycles,  Providing water passage and storage; and the recharge of aquifers,  Nutrient cycling and improving water quality by trapping nutrients and sediments,  Supporting species to adapt to the effects of climate change by providing refuge and landscape connectivity,  Contributing to the sequestration and storage of carbon to mitigate against climate change,  Contributing to economic productivity of Bangladesh-as water sources for agricultural, urban uses,  As mother Fishery-vital breeding, nursery and harvest sites for inland open water fish, mollusks and crustaceans, brood-stock of wild fishes for aquaculture  Contributing to cultural heritage and spiritual values etc

Biodiversity of Haor: Flora Swamp Trees Mastered Aquatic Fruit Biodiversity: Flora Bird Sanctuary Plant-Padda Aquatic Vegetable

Biodiversity of Haor: Fauna Leech Snake Mollusks Birds Fish Crustaceans Turtle

Table 1: Value of wetland goods and services in Hakaluki haor (Source: +IUCN Study 2006; *Hail Haor MACH Project Study, USAID 2002, values are adjusted for 2006 using CPI.) Project Study, USAID 2002, values are adjusted for 2006 using CPI.) Land Area(Ha) BDT/Ha Total Value (Tk. % Total Mill/year) Wetland Goods Fish harvest 13,595.10 13,586.43+ 184.71 28% Fish hatchlings supplies 13,595.10 761.69+ 10.36 2% Fish trading 13,595.10 5,010.90+ 68.12 10% Rice Production 16,102.19 7,050.00+ 113.52 15% Non Fish and Non Rice Products 7,115.87 5,330.37+ 37.93 11% Duck rearing 13,595.10 11.89+ 0.16 0% Cattle and buffalo rearing 7,115.87 5,466.82+ 38.90 11% Other benefits 7,115.87 3,063.27+ 21.80 6% Wetland services Watershed benefit 13,595.10 1,020.93* 13.88 2% Flood control benefits 13,595.10 2,242.04* 30.48 5% Biodiversity benefits (Birds, Migratory 13,595.10 4,174.63* 56.75 9% birds, aquatic flora and fauna, non-aquatic flora and fauna) Aesthetic benefits 13,595.00 671.91* 9.13 1% Total 48,390.89 585.75 100% If we calculate considering average 6.63 % inflammation per year, then from 2007 to 2015 total value of wetland goods and services in Hakaluki haor-ECA for 2015 becomes $36,286.10/year (Tk.28,87,484.41/Ha) and $ 48.80 mill/year (Tk. 3883.52 mill/year). This is a rough estimation.

Haor Management issues, Administrative support not as per expectation of CBOs Constrainsts and threats Jalmohal not leasing to CBOs for a period of long term Implementation and observation of biodiversity conservation act, rule, norm not as per requirement Govt. not providing financial support/Credit to CBOs Very few number water bodies in Co-management Lack of Tourism facilities Present constraints, threats and No permanent programme for habitat restoration trends of wetland habitats, fisheries Leasing of Khas land without considering biodiversity conservation and biodiversity (including CC) Lack of community participation in management of constructed  Constraints water regulatory structures Lack of early and draught tolerance crop variety Less capacity of community peoples which not sufficient for AIGAs Bad internal communication Natural water flow administration-Infrastructure-Road, embankment, sluice gate, rubber dam etc. Less education Very congested homestead Haor culture-Attitude, Behavior, Language, Folk, Marriage ceremony, Cake etc. Health, family Planning and Sanitation problem

Encroachment-Aquaculture farming, Paddy land, Homestead-increasing Threats and trends of wetland habitats, fisheries and Habitat Degradation/loss-Siltation/sedimentation-increasing biodiversity (including CC) Dewatering of waterbodies-increasing Threatened of Species-Fluctuating Closing of Connectivity's- Hill, Chara, Canal, Haor, Beel, River-increasing Climate change effect-draught, Early flood, Wave action-increasing Shrinkage of the haor vegetation-increasing Political influence/influential people-increasing Hunting-Bird, Light Fishing-Fluctuating Deforestation of the haor area ( clearing of swamp forest, reed lands and grasses) Use of Destructive fishing gears-Kapri Jal, Current Jal, Fixed engine, Dredge net etc.-increasing Brick field-Constant

Fig . Setalite image on aquaculture encroachment scenario in Hail Haor from 2000-2014(Source: CREL, 2015)

Adminstratio n-District and DoE-CBA- DoF Upazila ECA,CREL Department FD-CREL of Co- operative Department NGO of Social Welfare Revenue FCS Department Different Haor CBOs Stakeholders-Actors Political Union/Upz Leaders DLS Professionals -Farmers, Fishers, Fish Traders/busin ess Leaseholders LGED,BWDB Police Resourse Department, Users Ansar& VDP DAE Civil society

Vast Huge wetland flora Human Water and Fauna resources Resource Vast Fisheries Vast scope resources of and Scope of Agriculture Aquaculture Low-cost Navigation- Very Rich Communicati Potentialities biodiversity on/Transport ation Unique Vast area for opportunity for afforestation Eco-tourism Scope of Rich in Availability of diversified medicinal naturel Perl livelihoods plant Availability of Fuel- Scope of coal/wood/tre Livestock es/plant

Haor Biodiversity Conservation and Management Tools 1. Rapport Building and Awareness Raising

2.Capasity Development: Train aining con onduct t for or CBOs On R RMS, AIG IG Trade Optio tions, Sanct ctuary Managemen ent, Organizati tional De Developments,

3. . Establis ishment of Sanctuary

4.I .Introduction of Endangered Fis ish specie ies Fingerling Stocking Beel Nursery Brood Stocking Young Fish Stocking

5. 5. Constructio ion of f environment/ t/fish fr frie iendly str tructures Implementing Agr Im gro-Fis ish Fri riendly Sl Sluice Gate Management Sariakandi fish pass: view of the Bangali River from the fish pass Fig 3: One vent vertical slot Kashimpur Fishpass at Kawadighi haor in Moulvi bazar

6. . Ris isk k Management: Outb tbreak of of Fis ish Dis Disease and Treatment

7. . Pla lantation Swamp Tree, Riparian, Aquatic Plants

8. . Habit itat Restoration/Re-excavation Before Excavation After Excavation Before Excavation After Excavation

10.Provide Ecotourism facilities. 11.Health, Family planning 11.Education 12.Integrated development approach 13. Application of Technology

Outp tput of f Good Governance in in Haor NRM Good Governance in Haor NRM Livelihood Development-Ensure Appropriate poverty reduction, Management Conserve biodiversity Approach Ensure Revenue etc. Biodiversity Change of Conservation Development and through applying Economic indicators tools Expected Yield

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