Management ofTropical Coastal Fisheries in Asia: An Overview of Key Challenges and Opportunitiesl

Coastal fisheries are an important. component of the fisheries sector and rural economy of tropical developing countries in Asia generating food, employment and foreign exchange. In 1994, marine landings of these countries were about 13.3 million t (roughly 16% of world marine landings), most originating from coastal areas. The coastal fishery resources consist dominantly of species with relatively high growth, natural mortality and turnover rates; and exhibit maximum .abundance in shallow depths (less than 50 m). Fishers use a multiplicity of gears, with heavy concentration in nearshore areas where abundance, catch rates and shrimp availability are highest. The management of these coastal fisheries attempts to promote three main objectives: (1) productivity/efficiency, (2) distributional equity and (3) environmental integrity. Efficient institutional/administrative arrangements are sought to attain these objectives and to maintain a balance among them. Coastal fisheries operate in a spectrum ranging from light fishing, essentially single sector (i.e., fisheries) situations to intense fishing and multisector use of the coastal area (and its adjacent terrestrial and marine zones). Issues ilnpacting coastal fisheries multiply through this range, requiring increasingly com" . prehensive and integrated analytic frames and scope of action to sustain fisheries benefits. The key issues impacting coastal fisheries in the region include: (1) overfishing, (2) inappropriate exploitation patterns, (3) post harvest losses, (4) conflicts between large and small-scale fisheries, (5) habitat degradation, (6) inadequacy of management information and research and (7) institutional weaknesses and constraints. Appropriate management strategies and actions on a broad front are necessary, and success is largely premised on institutional capabilities and resources mobilization. Moreover, the ultimate mitigation of these factors rests on effectively addressing poverty and promoting overall economic development.