ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF COMMUNITY-BASED FISH CULTURE IN SEASONALLY FLOODED RICE FIELDS IN BANGLADESH AND VIETNAM

ABSTRACT During the rainy season in extensive river floodplains and deltaic lowlands, floods lasting several months render the land unavailable for crop production for several months each year. These waters are considerably underutilized in terms of managed aquatic productivity. This raises the opportunity to enclose parts of these annually occurring floodwater areas to produce a crop of specifically stocked aquatic organisms aside from the naturally occurring 'wild' species that are traditionally fished and are not affected by the culture activity, overall resulting in more high-quality, nutrient-dense food production and enhanced farm income for all stakeholders, notably the poor. The WorldFish Center and its national partners recently tested two systems in a community based management approach in Bangladesh and Vietnam: (i)…