An analysis of fisheries exploitation and management practices in Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem, Bangladesh

Sundarbans mangrove of Bangladesh—a World Heritage Site has been providing a wide array of fisheries activities for a large number of coastal people. Over-fishing, particularly collecting Penaeus monodon postlarvae from mangrove and near-shore waters, due to increasing demand from shrimp farming, and over exploitation of plant and wildlife species are exerting increasing amount of stresses on the viability of this delicate ecosystem. A number of regulations have been enacted for the conservation of the resources and ecosystem, but yet to rigorously enforced. The initiative to institute a comprehensive fisheries management system by the recent Asian Development Bank supported “Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project”, therefore, marks the beginning of a new era for sustainability of aquatic resources in the Sundarbans.