Assessment of fishing gears, crafts, and socio-economic status of the Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) fishers’ community near the Meghna River, Bangladesh

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An evaluation was conducted to assess the current state of fishing gears, crafts, and socio-economic aspects among the Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha Hamilton, 1822) fishers communities residing along the Meghna River region in Gazaria and Munshiganj Sadar Upazila, located in the district of Munshiganj, Bangladesh. About 150 fishers were interviewed using pre-tested questionnaires from selected areas from July 2019 to June 2020, and the data that was obtained was analysed using appropriate statistical tools. The methods employed for Hilsa fishing included the use of drift gill nets (known as Ilish jal, Fash jal, and Poa jal) and seine nets (referred to as Jagat ber jal), while the crafts utilised were Chandi boat and Donga. Most fishers were 31-40 years old (53.33%) in Ismanirchar and (46.67%) in Kalirchar village. Many fishers were Hindus (80%) in Ismanirchar and Muslims (96%) in Kalirchar. Regarding educational level, 69.33% and 70.67% of fishers in Ismanirchar and Kalirchar can only sign, respectively. Semi-earthen toilets were the primary type of sanitary facilities found in the area. Approximately half of the fishers residing in the two villages owned land ranging from 0 to 15 decimals. A significant portion, around 80%, relied on loans from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), while the remaining fishers obtained financial assistance from their neighbours. Hilsa fishing was found to be the main occupation in the study area. The fishers' income increased from September to November and March to May. The primary issues identified included extortion from local criminal groups, insufficient access to credit, absence of proper storage facilities, ongoing conflicts between professional and non-professional fishers, as well as tensions between Muslim and Hindu fishers. To improve their socio-economic situation and ensure sustainable livelihoods, fishers require more institutional support, better organisation, enhanced technical assistance, and increased access to credit.