Fishery Performance Indicators and Coastal Fisheries Management in Southern Rakhine, Myanmar

Home , Kyeintali, Manaung, Manaung Township, Thandwe, Thandwe District

Michael De Alessi School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington

March 2017

In Collaboration with: Martin Callow, Thaung Htut, Phoe Cho, & Mya Than Tun (Wildlife Conservation Society, Myanmar), Dr. Maung Maung Kyi (Rakhine Coastal Conservation Association), and Aung Aung Naing (Pyoe Pin Programme)

Prepared for: Wildlife Conservation Society, Myanmar with generous financial support from the blue moon fund

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Executive Summary Nearly half of Myanmar’s population lives in one of its coastal states and regions, where small- scale fishing is a primary source of livelihood. Those livelihoods are currently under threat, with evidence showing a dramatic decline in Myanmar’s coastal fisheries over the last 30 years (IMR 2014).

In support of WCS Myanmar, this report uses the Fishery Performance Indicator (FPI) (Anderson et al 2015) to characterize the available data and to assess the performance of 4 fisheries in Rakhine state: the artisanal fishery around Manaung Island, artisanal fisheries in southern Rakhine (from Thandwe to Gwa), the small-scale purse seine fishery in southern Rakhine, and the Rakhine offshore trawl fishery.

For some of these fisheries and gears enough information was gathered to make a rough estimation at the current value generated (dock prices received) by the artisanal longline fleet, the mixed gear fleet around Manaung Island, the Southern Rakhine purse seine fleet, and the Thandwe-based offshore trawl fleet. More information is need to estimate the value generated by small-scale gillnets, drift gill nets, and illegal baby trawls in Southern Rakhine, but given their numbers, it is likely that the gillnets bring in far less than $1 million, and the drift gillnets and baby trawl fleets significantly more than $1 million.

Table 1. Estimated Annual Value (dock price) of Some Rakhine Fisheries

Location Fishing Gear Annual Value* Southern Rakhine artisanal longline $1 million Manaung Island artisanal mixed gear $1.5 to $4.5 million Southern Rakhine purse seine $10 million Thandwe offshore shrimp trawl $27 million * estimates based on limited anecdotal evidence and significant extrapolation

There is evidence that all of these gears target species that are overfished to some degree, and each competes with another gear to some extent. Compared to a worldwide database of fisheries (Table 2), these four fisheries scored very poorly for ecological performance, generally poorly economically (except for the more industrialized offshore trawl fleet), and more positively at the community level (fisheries with poor ecological and economic performance can still yield significant benefits to coastal communities).

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Table 2. Fishery rankings within the worldwide FPI database (currently 118 fisheries)

Sector Performance Triple Bottom Line Indicators Indicators Fishery rankings within the worldwide FPI Post- Harvest Harvest database (118 fisheries) Ecology Economics Community Sector Sector Performance Performance offshore trawl, Thandwe Rakhine 2017 69 th 34 th 55 th 64 th 15 th artisanal fishery, Manaung Rakhine 2017 79 th 73 rd 59 th 66 th 69 th Southern Rakhine purse seine Rakhine 2016 85 th 84 th 63 rd 73 rd 73 rd Mawlamyine Croaker-Hilsa Mon 2016 92 nd 90 th 69 th 84 th 78 th Southern Rakhine small boat Rakhine 2016 93 rd 100 th 77 th 100 th 96 th th th st th th Bilugyun stationary trawl Mon 2016 106 105 101 111 107 These scores and the current value generated by these fisheries suggest that a transition to more sustainable fishing practices, including limits on fishing effort, could yield significant benefits for both the marine environment and coastal livelihoods. The conclusion of the report includes recommended steps for implementing more productive, sustainable, and profitable fisheries in Rakhine state.

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Contents 1. Introduction ...... 1 Fisheries Management in Myanmar ...... 1 Rakhine state ...... 3 2. Report Context and Methods ...... 3 3. Fishery Performance Indicators and Comparisons to the Worldwide Database ...... 5 Summary Comparison with the Fishery Performance Indicator database ...... 5 Triple Bottom Line Heat Maps ...... 5 Stock Performance, Harvest Asset Performance, and Post-Harvest Asset Performance: ...... 8 Limited access ...... 10 4. Recommendations ...... 11 Department of Fisheries ...... 11 Community organizations ...... 12 Fishers, Buyers, and Processors ...... 12 5. Conclusions ...... 13 6. Implementation Outline ...... 14 Southern Rakhine artisanal fishery...... 15 Southern Rakhine purse seine fishery ...... 16 Manaung island artisanal fishery...... 16 Rakhine-based offshore trawl fishery ...... 17 7. Acknowledgments ...... 17 8. Citations ...... 18 Appendix 1: Southern Rakhine Inshore Artisanal fishery ...... 19 Primary Species...... 19 Primary Harvest Technology...... 19 Markets and Product Forms ...... 20 Trends ...... 20 Appendix 2: Southern Rakhine Purse Seine Fishery ...... 21 Primary Species...... 21 Primary Harvest Technology...... 21 Markets and Product Forms ...... 22 Trends ...... 22 iv FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine

Appendix 3: Manaung Island Artisanal Fishery ...... 23 Primary Species...... 23 Primary Harvest Technology...... 23 Markets and Product Forms ...... 24 Trends ...... 24 Appendix 4: Rakhine-Based Offshore Trawl Fishery ...... 25 Primary Species...... 25 Primary Harvest Technology...... 26 Markets and Product Forms ...... 26 Trends ...... 26 Appendix 6: Interviewees ...... 29

Figures Figure 1. Map of Myanmar ...... 2 Figure 2. Southern Rakhine ...... 4 Figure 3. Stock Performance, Harvest, and Post-Harvest Asset Performance of Four Rakhine Fisheries ...... 9 Figure 4. Harvest Rights and Limited Access ...... 10 Figure 5. Primary landing site and DoF checkpoint for the Rakhine offshore trawl fleet ...... 25

Tables Table 1. Estimated Annual Value (dock price) of Some Rakhine Fisheries ...... i Table 2. Fishery rankings within the worldwide FPI database (currently 118 fisheries) ...... ii Table 3. Myanmar Fisheries Ranked by Ecology score (out of 118 sampled worldwide) ...... 6 Table 4. Myanmar Fisheries Ranked by Economics score (out of 118 sampled worldwide) ...... 6 Table 5. Myanmar Fisheries Ranked by Post-Harvest Sector score (out of 118) ...... 7 Table 6. Myanmar Fisheries Ranked by Community score (out of 118 sampled worldwide) ...... 7 Table 7. Myanmar Fisheries Ranked by Harvest Sector score (out of 118 sampled worldwide) .. 8 Table 8. Numbers of boats participating in each fishery: ...... 20 Table 9. Numbers of purse seine vessels ...... 21 1 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine

1. Introduction With a reported annual harvest of roughly 3 million metric tons, Myanmar ranks ninth in the world for capture fisheries production1 (FAO 2016). Nearly half of Myanmar’s population resides in its five coastal states and regions, Rakhine state, Ayeyarwady state, Yangon region, Mon state, and Tanintharyi region (Figure 1), where small scale fishing is a primary source of livelihood. Despite recent increases in the reported total marine harvest [which are likely exaggerated (Pauly and Zeller 2016) to meet political targets (MFP 2015)], increases in fishing effort, improvements in gear, and the expansion of export markets, especially to China, are putting increased pressure on fish stocks, putting both marine resources and livelihoods at risk. In addition, in a recent survey of marine fisheries governance, Myanmar scored the lowest for “effectiveness of fisheries governance” among 28 countries responsible for over 80% of the world’s marine fish catch (Hilborn & Melnychuk 2015).

Despite its importance to both local and national economies, there is little reliable data collected on coastal fisheries, let alone the management capacity to utilize better data. The only set of fishery-independent trawl surveys available, which consist of research trawls in 1979-80, 2013, and 2015 show a roughly 90% decrease in longer-lived fish species and a 75% decline in CPUE over a 30+ year period (IMR 2014, Tun 2016). While these data confirm a significant decline in abundance, the exact nature of the decline is difficult to identify with such a small sample size. Widespread anecdotal evidence indicates that stocks of many species have declined significantly in just the last 5-10 years. As Myanmar emerges from a long period of political isolation, the pressure on marine resources will only increase. But there is also cause for some optimism as the new government in Myanmar is showing interest in improving fisheries management.

Fisheries Management in Myanmar In Myanmar, fisheries are managed by Department of Fisheries within the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation. The Union (national government) manages all offshore fishing where larger vessels, mostly trawlers, must fish outside of 10 nm from the coast. Regulation of the offshore fleet includes an offshore closure that is consulted and agreed upon annually, although an exception is commonly granted to a portion of the licensed offshore fleet (40% in 2016 and expected to be 30% in 2017). Recent closures have covered June-July-August, a period during the monsoon season which generally runs from May to October. There is also a maximum trip limit that has expanded from 25 to 40 to 90 days currently (and likely to fall to 60 in 2017) that allows fishing boats to venture farther from port (usually by using carrier boats to regularly send fish back to port). State and regional licenses are also required to fish in waters adjacent to states and regions. New licenses are rarely granted and there are no harvest limits.

1 In 2014 Myanmar reported 2.7 million metric tons of capture fisheries production, ranked 9th in the world (FAO 2016). Other Asian countries in the top ten include China (14.8 million tons, about 30% of world production), Indonesia (6 million tons), Japan (3.6 million tons, and India (3.4 million tons) (FAO 2016). The accuracy of China’s marine fishery statistics is also contested (Watson and Pauly 2001). 2 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine

Inshore fishing was decentralized by a constitutional amendment in 2015. States and regions are now struggling to develop new legislation for inshore fisheries management that remains in line with Union fisheries law. Currently, states and regions require township fishing licenses for all fishing vessels and there is a national limit of 30 feet and 25 HP for inshore vessels (DoF 2015). There are no limits on the numbers of licenses or on the catch, and boats may have multiple township and gear licenses. Minimum legal mesh sizes are routinely ignored, and data collection on harvests, let alone stocks, is poor. Fishing is severely curtailed in the monsoon season (from May to October, but especially from June to August) by weather. For the inshore fleet, many either stop fishing during this time or switch gears to either fish closer to the shore or to target shrimp with illegal baby trawl gear.

Figure 1. Map of Myanmar

Image from: http://kewe.info/weplanet/circus/2013/circus_may_2013-7.html 3 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine

Rakhine state The Rakhine coastal region stretches over almost 750 km and is one of the three major marine regions in Myanmar, along with the Ayeyarwady Delta and Tanintharyi coastal region. The Rakhine coast has fewer coral reefs and mangroves than the coast farther South, but offers the best shrimping grounds in the country and supports over 30,000 fishermen (according to February 2017 interview data from the Rakhine state fisheries department). Over half of the households in Rakhine coastal townships depend on fishing for their livelihoods. There are also apparently another 3,000 fishermen from the “migrant” community, a population in Rakhine that is a source of controversy beyond the scope of this paper.

The primary inshore fishing gears are gillnets, longlines, trammel nets, and baby trawls. Baby trawls are not legal, but are generally tolerated. There are some full-time baby trawlers, but also many boats that switch to baby trawling in the rainy season when the shrimp fishing is best. Purse seines are also common, generally fishing farther offshore in groups of one net boat and one or two light boats. Offshore trawlers are restricted from entering inshore waters (inside of 10 nm), but incursions were commonly reported by inshore fishermen in every location we visited. This is a major source of conflict. Small scale fishermen interviewed in Rakhine in November 2016 and January 2017 repeatedly claimed that many boats stay in port for up to a week after an incursion into local waters by an offshore trawler because of its immediate effect on local fish abundance.

2. Report Context and Methods In support of WCS Myanmar, this project assesses fishing activity and management across four fisheries in Southern Rakhine. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has been active in Myanmar since 1993, and has focused its recent marine conservation efforts in Rakhine. This analysis is part of WCS’ ongoing effort to support sustainable livelihoods and marine ecosystems by gathering new or existing data about the social, economic, and ecological performance of fisheries and to identify opportunities for co-management. This report uses the Fishery Performance Indicator (FPI) to characterize the available data and to assess the performance of 4 fisheries in Rakhine state, the artisanal fishery around Manaung Island, artisanal fisheries in southern Rakhine (from Thandwe to Gwa), the small-scale purse seine fishery in southern Rakhine, and the Rakhine offshore trawl fishery (Figure 2).

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Figure 2. Southern Rakhine

source: WCS Myanmar

Interviews with fishermen, crew, buyers, local market sellers, processors, and with DoF were collected on two trips to Rakhine with support from staff at WCS, DoF, Pyoe Pin, and RCA. Interviews with both purse seine fishermen and small-scale, artisanal fishermen, buyers, and processors took place along the southern coast of Rakhine from Thandwe to Kyeintali to Gwa in November 2016. Interviews in Manaung Island, located off the central coast of Rakhine just North of the Thandwe district boundary, took place in January 2017. The Rakhine-based offshore trawl fleet is based in Kyeitaw, Thandwe township and makes up about 1/3 of the fleet fishing offshore of Rakhine. We visited Kyeitaw, as well as the DoF offshore checkpoint near Kyeitaw (see Appendix 4) where carrier boats landing catch in Kyeitaw and offshore trawlers when returning or heading out to sea must also report.

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3. Fishery Performance Indicators and Comparisons to the Worldwide Database The Fishery Performance Indicator (FPI) is a tool for measuring performance across ecological, economic, and social pillars (Anderson et al 2015). FPIs were designed to allow for the comparison of fisheries around the world, including data-poor conditions common in Myanmar. Assessment methods focus on site visits, background research, and interviews with knowledgeable experts: agency officials, non-governmental organization workers, development professionals, harvester organization representatives, fishing company employees, and processing managers. The FPI assessment scoresheet includes 54 input metrics for attributes such as management approaches and enabling conditions, and 68 outputs metrics covering ecological, economic, and social performance (Anderson et al 2015). Each attribute is coded on a 1 to 5 scale based on expert assessment or primary data when available. Scores can be aggregated to represent the status of stocks, fisheries management, and economic and social aspects of the harvest and processing sectors or the triple bottom line of ecological, economic, and social performance. The four distinct assessments were created in southern Rakhine based on a combination of management systems, distinct fleets, markets served, and biological stocks harvested, in combination with relevant geographic, fishery, and political divisions found in the field.

Summary Comparison with the Fishery Performance Indicator database The inshore small-scale artisanal and purse seine boats all have a maximum length of 30 feet and 25 HP by law, while offshore trawlers range from 50-90 feet and 30-90 GT. Despite these differences, fisheries throughout Rakhine share many characteristics, including a paucity of data, no adaptive management, overfishing of many species, evidence of illegal fishing, and conflicts between inshore and offshore vessels. Scored over 122 FPI parameters, however, differences arose. One of the simplest ways to measure the outcomes of the assessments are to aggregate average scores in triple-bottom-line scores for ecology, economics, and community, or to aggregate scores into harvest and post-harvest indicators. These scores can be compared to the scores from 118 other fisheries in the worldwide FPI database, as in the following Tables 1-6. which summarize rankings over the entire database (Appendix 5). Two other recent FPIs from Mon state, Myanmar are also included.

Triple Bottom Line Heat Maps

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Table 3. Myanmar Fisheries Ranked by Ecology score (out of 118 sampled worldwide)

Sector Performance Triple Bottom Line Indicators Indicators

Fishery Harvest Post-Harvest Ecology Economics Community Sector Sector Performance Performance

69 offshore trawl, Thandwe Rakhine 2017 3.13 3.64 3.88 3.41 4.18 79 artisanal fishery, Manaung Rakhine 2017 3.00 3.21 3.88 3.33 3.51 85 Southern Rakhine purse seine Rakhine 2016 2.88 3.04 3.81 3.39 3.46 92 Mawlamyine Croaker-Hilsa Mon 2016 2.63 2.78 3.90 2.88 3.64 93 Southern Rakhine small boat Rakhine 2016 2.63 2.94 3.74 3.20 3.22 106 Bilugyun stationary trawl Mon 2016 2.50 2.75 3.43 3.05 2.91

The Rakhine offshore trawl fishery scored highest for ecology, but it should be noted that this is based on anecdotal evidence of harvest levels and a high degree of uncertainty about bycatch of protected species. All of the fisheries assessed in Myanmar were either in or near the bottom third of the database, and none of the scores were reflective of well-managed fisheries. Overfishing appears to be widespread and there were no effective marine reserves in any of the areas and fisheries surveyed.

Table 4. Myanmar Fisheries Ranked by Economics score (out of 118 sampled worldwide)

Sector Performance Triple Bottom Line Indicators Indicators

Fishery Harvest Post-Harvest Ecology Economics Community Sector Sector Performance Performance

34 offshore trawl, Thandwe Rakhine 2017 3.13 3.64 3.88 3.41 4.18 73 artisanal fishery, Manaung Rakhine 2017 3.00 3.21 3.88 3.33 3.51 84 Southern Rakhine purse seine Rakhine 2016 2.88 3.04 3.81 3.39 3.46 90 Southern Rakhine small boat Rakhine 2016 2.63 2.94 3.74 3.20 3.22 100 Mawlamyine Croaker-Hilsa Mon 2016 2.63 2.78 3.90 2.88 3.64 105 Bilugyun stationary trawl Mon 2016 2.50 2.75 3.43 3.05 2.91

The highest scoring fishery for economics was again the offshore fishery, which also scored well against the worldwide database. This is likely reflective of the fact that the primary product is high value shrimp that earns foreign currency and a well-established set of larger-scale processors. Processing also improves the economics score for the Manaung artisanal fishery, which appears to sell more higher value fresh species than the other two Rakhine fisheries.

The effect of processing can be seen in a similar table raking the fisheries by an aggregate score for Post-Harvest Performance, which highlights the success of the two primary shrimp processors in Thandwe, LAI (Lin Aung Industry) and TMP (Thantwe Marine Products Co., Ltd). 7 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine

Table 5. Myanmar Fisheries Ranked by Post-Harvest Sector score (out of 118)

Sector Performance Triple Bottom Line Indicators Indicators

Fishery Post-Harvest Harvest Sector Ecology Economics Community Sector Performance Performance

15 offshore trawl, Thandwe Rakhine 2017 3.13 3.64 3.88 3.41 4.18 69 Mawlamyine Croaker-Hilsa Mon 2016 2.63 2.78 3.90 2.88 3.64 73 artisanal fishery, Manaung Rakhine 2017 3.00 3.21 3.88 3.33 3.51 78 Southern Rakhine purse seine Rakhine 2016 2.88 3.04 3.81 3.39 3.46 96 Southern Rakhine small boat Rakhine 2016 2.63 2.94 3.74 3.20 3.22 107 Bilugyun stationary trawl Mon 2016 2.50 2.75 3.43 3.05 2.91

Over the entire database of assessed fisheries, ecologically successful fisheries tend to be correlated with economic successful fisheries (Anderson et al 2016). This does not mean that ecological success causes economic success or vice versa, but there can be little doubt that sustainable stocks support for economic growth and capital investment, and economic performance arises from reductions in rent dissipation and overexploitation. Social performance, however, is another story.

Table 6. Myanmar Fisheries Ranked by Community score (out of 118 sampled worldwide)

Sector Performance Triple Bottom Line Indicators Indicators

Fishery Harvest Post-Harvest Ecology Economics Community Sector Sector Performance Performance

55 Mawlamyine Croaker-Hilsa Mon 2016 2.63 2.78 3.90 2.88 3.64 59 offshore trawl, Thandwe Rakhine 2017 3.13 3.64 3.88 3.41 4.18 63 artisanal fishery, Manaung Rakhine 2017 3.00 3.21 3.88 3.33 3.51 69 Southern Rakhine purse seine Rakhine 2016 2.88 3.04 3.81 3.39 3.46 77 Southern Rakhine small boat Rakhine 2016 2.63 2.94 3.74 3.20 3.22 101 Bilugyun stationary trawl Mon 2016 2.50 2.75 3.43 3.05 2.91

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Although all of the Rakhine fisheries assessed are experiencing some degree of overfishing and depletion and are performing well below their economic potential, they still add significant value to their communities. In fact, the community scores were the only scores that were generally positive for all fisheries assessed in Myanmar, reflecting a generally high level of local involvement with the fisheries both at sea and on shore. The community scores demonstrate that even fisheries underperforming ecologically and economically can make valuable, positive even fisheries underperforming contributions to local economies and communities. ecologically and economically They also fit a pattern found in other less-developed can make valuable, positive country fisheries, that the correlation between social contributions to local performance and ecological and economic economies and communities performance is weak. This is an important point for * policy-makers; improving the ecology and economics improving the ecology and of fishing may lower social performance of fisheries in economics of fishing may lower the short term. If processing and other supply chain- the social performance of related businesses develop, community performance fisheries in the short term will likely increase, but not right away.

For each fishery surveyed in Rakhine, the Harvest sector scored lower than the Post-Harvest sector (Table 5). The difference is especially notable for the offshore trawl fishery, and is likely a symptom of the open access nature of all of the fisheries assessed in Myanmar (see below).

Table 7. Myanmar Fisheries Ranked by Harvest Sector score (out of 118 sampled worldwide)

Sector Performance Triple Bottom Line Indicators Indicators

Fishery Harvest Post-Harvest Ecology Economics Community Sector Sector Performance Performance

64 offshore trawl, Thandwe Rakhine 2017 3.13 3.64 3.88 3.41 4.18 66 Southern Rakhine purse seine Rakhine 2016 2.88 3.04 3.81 3.39 3.46 73 artisanal fishery, Manaung Rakhine 2017 3.00 3.21 3.88 3.33 3.51 84 Southern Rakhine small boat Rakhine 2016 2.63 2.94 3.74 3.20 3.22 100 Bilugyun stationary trawl Mon 2016 2.50 2.75 3.43 3.05 2.91 111 Mawlamyine Croaker-Hilsa Mon 2016 2.63 2.78 3.90 2.88 3.64

Stock Performance, Harvest Asset Performance, and Post-Harvest Asset Performance: Anderson et al. (2015) offer an alternative way to bundle FPI scores, focusing on the harvest and post-harvest sectors in which fishery benefits accrue (as mentioned above). In the next three figures, average scores for stock performance (at the top, the same as in the triple bottom line scores), harvest performance (on the right side of the graph), and post-harvest performance (on the left side of the graph). The average of all 118 fisheries currently in the FPI 9 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine database (the shaded area) presents a performance benchmark against which the case study fisheries can be compared.

In this analysis (Figure 3), the offshore trawl fishery generally outperforms the FPI baseline, as well as the other three Rakhine fisheries – except in Harvest Performance and Crew, where it scores well below average and the worst of all of the Rakhine fisheries. The Harvest Performance score is an average of scores for landings level, excess capacity, season length, and harvest safety, highlighting the upside of reducing redundant capacity and an aging fleet. The Crew score is an average of 8 scores covering absolute and comparative wages, access to health and education, and experience and is evidence, to oversimplify, of hard work for low wages. The other, generally higher scores for the offshore trawl fleet are indicative of the greater economic rents generated by the fishery, especially in the processing sector and for the owners of trawl vessels.

Figure 3. Stock Performance, Harvest, and Post-Harvest Asset Performance of Four Rakhine Fisheries

The southern Rakhine artisanal fishery was generally the worst performing Rakhine fishery and was well below the baseline. The coast from Thandwe to Gwa is a populous area with a large number of fisherman and a wide variety of gear, and intense pressure on the fishing grounds 10 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine which reduce the productivity of fisheries and dissipate rents. The purse fishery in this area is sizeable as well, but requires a larger investment (so has higher barriers to entry) and targets larger catches of quick growing species such as anchovies, sardines, and skipjack tuna. The Manaung fishery also has multiple gear types, including the illegal baby trawl, and a large population of fishermen. More research will be necessary to understand the difference between these sites, but one possible explanation is the access to higher value Yangon and export markets provided by Manaung’s largest fish buyer.

Limited access In the worldwide FPI database, access rights (there is no free entry into the fishery) and harvest rights (rights to a share or amount of a portion of the catch), especially access rights, are positively linked with stock health and economic benefits (Anderson et al 2016). All of the Rakhine fisheries, however, have weak access rights (any kind of license limitation, even when there is no limit to the numbers of licenses, counts as an access right) and no harvest rights. In fact, there was no difference between the scores of the three inshore species, and only a slight difference between inshore and offshore (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Harvest Rights and Limited Access

While new licenses in the offshore trawl fleet are apparently almost impossible to obtain, it also seems clear that there is serious overcapacity in that fleet. For all of the inshore fisheries assessed, there are essentially no limits on the number of licenses apart from a tax which does not appear to present a deterrent.

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4. Recommendations All of the Rakhine fisheries surveyed revealed overfishing, relatively poor asset performance in both harvesting and processing (with the exception of offshore trawl processing), and relatively positive scores for their contributions to local communities. This suggests that efforts to improve fisheries performance should focus on improving value through the supply chain and creating or enabling institutions that will improve harvest sector performance, principally by addressing rent dissipation and overfishing caused by open access. Limiting access is a politically and socially challenging proposition, and care must be taken not to magnify existing inequalities and power structures within communities. Existing organizations such as the Kyeitaw purse seine association and the community conservation associations created with the help of the RCA and Pyoe Pin are natural starting points.

Work on the worldwide FPI database has also shown a strong building capacity for data correlation between scientific analysis of fish stocks and collection and enforcement ecological performance (Anderson et al 2016). Building capacity will necessitate for data collection and analysis should also be a priority, collaboration with fishing especially for data on landings and price by major species, gear, communities, as well as and area, and ideally with some size categorization for landed clear incentives for those species. Improving data collection and fisheries management communities to participate will require collaboration between government, community organizations, as well as fishers, buyers, and processors.

Department of Fisheries DoF already has some institutional capacity for data collection and analysis, but is understaffed, underfunded, and its mission is not clearly aligned with sustainable fishing. The primary mandate appears to be revenue generation, primarily through gear and boat license fees. Catch data is collected and reported, but accuracy does not appear to be important. At the national level, there appears to be pressure to meet production targets which may lead to inflated data and a reluctance to release localized data.

There is no effective enforcement capacity within the Rakhine DoF, and it is unlikely that there will be any significant enforcement budget anytime soon. Thus, while DoF is the natural clearing house for data and ultimate enforcement authority, building capacity for data collection and enforcement will necessitate collaboration with fishing communities, as well as clear incentives for those communities to participate.

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Community organizations Limited access is fundamental to improving fisheries performance across the triple bottom line, but exclusion is a delicate matter, especially within artisanal fisheries. With so many households dependent on fishing for livelihood, limiting access to fishing grounds will only be possible if some of the benefits of doing so accrue to the broader community, or at the very least those who are no longer fishing in either the short term (while fisheries are recovering) or the long term (if the fleet is limiting access to fishing too large to support economically). Fishing cooperatives grounds will only be or other community-based organizations are one way to possible if some of the accomplish this. How to structure such organizations benefits of doing so accrue merits further study both conceptually and in the field to to the broader community better understand what may be possible. The FAO (2015) guidelines for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries may be useful in this regard, as well as in a consideration of implementing marine tenure more generally.

Both the Rakhine Coastal Conservation Association (RCA) and Pyoe Pin have set up important community-based projects in Rakhine. The RCA is small, local NGO that has helped to create a number of community forestry areas and is already working with fishing communities, as well as DoF and WCS to collect data, stop illegal fishing, and set up fishermen’s associations around Kyeintali. Pyoe Pin is a project of the British Council that works with civil society groups, government, and NGOs to create the institutions necessary for co-management of marine resources. These organizations, along with the Wildlife Conservation Society’s scientific and socioeconomic expertise will be fundamental in moving toward co-management.

Fishers, Buyers, and Processors Fishing operations are already commonly organized around relationship with buyers who make advances to fishermen in return for supply. Buyers and processors already collect data in their books on weight and price, so this would be a natural place to expand data collection to include information on buyers and processors general size and species classifications. Some of this already collect data in their information is sensitive and some does not make books on weight and price, economic sense to collect at the moment, providing an so this is a natural place to opportunity to either amalgamate data in an association expand data collection or with the assistance of an NGO or community organization.

Based on fieldwork, buyers appear willing to share much of the information contained in their daily accounts. But getting them to take on additional work recording that data is another story. In Indonesia, USAID and partners (including WCS Indonesia) helped to develop the iFish data collection system, and open source data collection program that may be useful in Myanmar. iFish does, however, require significant human input and paid enumerators. WCS is already working with Pelagic Data Systems to generate data on vessel movements, and the Smithsonian’s Myiek Fisheries Data Network may also be a template worth exploring. 13 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine

Fishers, buyers, and processors are also the natural audience generating upside for an upside analysis of fisheries. That is, an analysis numbers for southern estimating in the increase in wealth and food security Rakhine will likely generated by shifting to sustainable fishing practices. generate interest in Worldwide there is strong evidence that fisheries can management reform recover and generate significantly higher value in ten years among primary economic or less (Costello et al 2015). Generating upside numbers for actors southern Rakhine will likely generate interest in management reform among primary economic actors in the fisheries.

5. Conclusions Fisheries in Rakhine provide a vital source of food security and income in coastal communities, and this report analyzed four fisheries in southern Rakhine: the artisanal fishery around Manaung Island, artisanal fisheries in southern Rakhine (from Thandwe to Gwa), the small-scale purse seine fishery in southern Rakhine, and the Rakhine offshore trawl fishery. All of these gears appear to target species that are overfished to some degree, and each competes with another gear to some extent. Compared to the worldwide FPI database of 118 fisheries, these four fisheries scored very poorly for ecological performance, generally poorly for economic performance (except for the more industrialized offshore trawl fleet), and more positively at the community level. This community result is not uncommon in less-developed countries, where fisheries with poor ecological and economic performance still commonly yield significant benefits to coastal communities.

Illegal fishing practices such as baby trawls and encroachments by offshore trawlers into inshore waters, improvements in fishing gear, and the expansion of export markets, especially to China, are steadily increasing the pressure on fish stocks in Rakhine. In the worldwide FPI database, access rights (there is no free entry into the fishery) and harvest rights (rights to a share or amount of a portion of the catch), especially access rights, are positively linked with stock health and economic benefits. All of the Rakhine fisheries have weak access rights.

This suggests that efforts to improve fisheries management should focus on improving value through the supply chain and creating or enabling institutions that will improve harvest sector performance, principally by addressing rent dissipation and overfishing caused by open access. Without improving the capacity for data collection and analysis, for collective action within fishing communities, and for effective management that includes limited access and addresses the inshore/offshore conflict, overfishing will put millions of livelihoods at risk. But there is reason for optimism. There are already some nascent community-based resource management associations in Rakhine. And there is significant room for ecological and economic improvement in Rakhine fisheries. That, along with the value currently generated by these fisheries, suggests that a transition to more sustainable fishing practices would yield significant benefits for both the marine environment and coastal livelihoods. 14 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine

Work on the worldwide FPI database has also shown a strong correlation between scientific analysis of fish stocks and ecological performance. Improving data collection and fisheries management will require collaboration between government, community organizations, as well as fishers, buyers, and processors. What follows is a brief outline of what will be required for a transition to sustainable fisheries management, followed by quick summaries of opportunities and obstacles to management in each fishery surveyed in this report. More background information on the fisheries surveyed can be found in Appendices 1-4.

6. Implementation Outline

1. Research: understanding the fishery  biology o primary target species o historical catch trends (rapid interview assessment) . size of total harvest . size of individuals o where/when do fishing communities recognize decline? o current sustainability of harvest (interview and rapid data-poor assessment if possible)

 economics o most valuable species o historical price trends o who are the buyers o value chains . what product forms does the catch take (dried or fresh, e.g.) . local vs. Yangon/export market

 community o how (if at all) are fishermen organized? (village, port, gear type, culture, etc) o what is the relationship between fishing communities and DoF? o spatial, participatory mapping of fishing effort . by gear, community, or target species as appropriate . important to note where there is overlap with other fishing communities and gears

 upside analysis using information above to estimate the o increase in biological production from a sustainable fishery o increase in economic value from a sustainable fishery o increase in economic value from supply chain improvements (e.g. infrastructure that would allow more fish to be sold into the fresh market)

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2. Development of capacity for co-management o within DoF o within communities o within associations of fishermen o within the private sector; processors, exporters, etc. o for ongoing data collection to allow for adaptive management o to develop fishery management plans o for knowledge and data to flow between stakeholders, esp. communities and local/national government

3. Policy reform  institutional analysis of what it would take to monitor and enforce fisheries co- management o legal requirements o opportunities and barriers to implementing managed access fisheries o social, esp. associations of fishermen o within DoF  legal recognition of co-management o district level o state/regional level o national level  legal recognition of socially-acceptable and capable community associations

Southern Rakhine artisanal fishery Opportunities  RCA (Rakhine Conservation Association) already well-established in Kyentali, including community forest management;  decent road access to Yangon markets; Obstacles  Limited access in the inshore will be more difficult due to difficulties of enforcement over larger numbers of boats and landing sites;  wide variety of fishing gear;  large baby trawl fleet that is already illegal;  DoF spread thin and not effectual;  conflict with offshore trawlers;

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Southern Rakhine purse seine fishery Opportunities  fleet tends to be concentrated around a small number of landing sites (Sinaung, Kyeitaw, Gwa);  start-up costs significant, so already a barrier to entry;  Kyeitaw purse seine owners association already established;  target many short-lived species, so recovery could be rapid;  most catch is dried – opportunity to increase value by increasing sales of fresh fish;  in Kyeitaw, recent investment in anchovy processing – owner claimed interest in sustainable supplies of fish  RCA (Rakhine Conservation Association) already well-established in Kyentali, where there are also many purse seiners  Pyoe Pin also active in southern Rakhine; experience setting up co-management committees

Obstacles  in Kyeitaw, competition with tourism for labor and beach use;  conflicts with offshore trawler fleet

Manaung island artisanal fishery Opportunities  island is a well-defined unit  local DoF staff appears motivated and interested in improving fisheries performance;  one large processor dominates buying and appears motivated to improve fisheries performance. Director of company is former Rakhine Parliamentarian;  skeleton of fishermen’s associations exist. In Kha-onmaw village, for example, an association previously existed to assist in logistics of payment of taxes and license fees;  rainy season fishing focused in Manaung straight (the Valley) – limited area for monitoring and enforcement  FMI (First Myanmar Investment Co.) apparently working to “develop” Manaung Island – potential to improve infrastructure and provide local premium for high-quality, sustainably-caught fish Obstacles  fishing grounds overlap with communities outside of the island, especially during rainy season around Manaung straight (the Valley);  there are some migratory fishermen who spend 2-3 months every year on the island;  conflicts with offshore trawlers anecdotally common

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Rakhine-based offshore trawl fishery Opportunities  Rakhine-based fleet is relatively small (54 boats) and concentrated in Kyeitaw;  owners are generally more business-savvy than artisanal;  Rakhine offshore trawl association appears strong and has direct ties to larger, national organization (MFF – Myanmar Fisheries Federation);  overcapacity and conflict with trawlers from other states fishing in Rakhine waters means that tradeoffs are possible, for example, agreeing to stronger enforcement and even catch limits;  association claimed to be interested in installing Pelagic Data monitors on board; Obstacles  Offshore trawlers licensed and managed by the Union government where management and licensing decisions are opaque;  vested interest from other states/regions in continuing to access waters offshore of Rakhine;

7. Acknowledgments Invaluable assistance with logistics, transport, and translation was provided by WCS (Widlife Conservation Society) Myanmar, and Martin Callow, Thaung Htut, Phoe Cho, and Mya Than Tun from WCS, Aung Aung Naing from the Pyoe Pin Programme, and Dr. Maung Maung Kyi from the Rakhine Conservation Association were all an integral part of the travel/interview team.

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8. Citations

Anderson J., Anderson C., Chu J., Meredith J., Asche F., Sylvia G., et al. (2015). The Fishery Performance Indicators: A Management Tool for Triple Bottom Line Outcomes. PLoS ONE 10(5): e0122809. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122809

Anderson, J., Anderson C., Garlock T., and DeAlessi, M. (2016). The Fishery Performance Indicators for California and Indonesia Fishery Management Systems. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida, Institute for Sustainable Food Systems, 75 pp.

Costello, C., Ovando, D., Clavelle, T., C. Kent Strauss, C.K., Hilborn, R., Melnychuk, M., Branch, T., Gaines, S., Szuwalski, C., Cabral, R., Rader, D., & Leland, A. (2016). "Global fishery prospects under contrasting management regimes." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 201520420 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1520420113

DoF (Department of Fisheries, Myanmar) (2015). Fishery Statistics 2015. Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar: DoF, 64 pp.

IMR (Institute of Marine Research, Norway) (2014). Myanmar Ecosystem Survey 13 November – 17 December 2013. NORAD - FAO Project GCP/INT/003/NOR Cruise Reports Dr. Fridtjof Nansen EAF - N/2013/9, 99 pp.

FAO (Food & Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) (2015). Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication. Rome: FAP, 18 pp. Downloaded from http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/18240/en

FAO (Food & Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) (2016). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2016. Rome: FAO, 190 pp.

Hilborn, R., and Melnychuk, M. (2015). “Governance & Marine Fisheries: Comparing Across Countries and Stocks.” Report prepared for the Ocean Prosperity Roadmap project. downloaded from https://www.oceanprosperityroadmap.org/fisheries-governance- survey/

MFP (Myanmar Fisheries Partnership) (2016). “Offshore Fisheries.” Myanmar Fisheries Policy Brief #1, 4 pp. downloaded from https://myanmarbiodiversity.org/portfolio- items/marine-fisheries/

Pauly, D. and Zeller, D. (2016). Global Atlas of Marine Fisheries: A Critical Appraisal of Catches and Ecosystem Impacts. Washington, DC: Island Press.

Tun, Mya Than (2016). “Health of Marine Fisheries in Myanmar.” Presentation to Sustainable Fisheries for Myanmar Workshop, EDF/WCS, Yangon, Myanmar, July 11-13. 19 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine

Appendix 1: Southern Rakhine Inshore Artisanal fishery Primary Species Muraenesocidae spp. (pike-conger eel) Lagocephalus spp. (puffer fish) Katsuwonus pelamis (skipjack tuna) Saurida tumbil (lizardfish) and other emperor, bream, croaker, grouper, snapper spp.

The highest value products are the dried bladders of both conger eels and puffer fish, but only in the last five years as markets have opened up to China. The wide varieties of gears used in inshore water mean that a wide variety of both pelagic and demersal species are harvested.

There is no fish bycatch in this mixed-species fishery – all species caught are kept. Protected species such as turtles, dolphins, and dugongs are occasionally encountered.

Primary Harvest Technology Longlines and gillnets are the most common inshore fishing gear, but trammel nets, baby trawls, and hookah diving are also employed. Longline boats are split between day trip boats and larger longline boats that go to Northern Rakhine to fish for conger eels. The best longline fishing is generally from September to March. Smaller longline boats are about 30 ft long, are manned by 2-3 people, and use 8-12 HP engines. Larger longliners are closer to 45 ft, employ 5 people, and use 25 HP engines. A new, large longline boat costs 80-90 lakhs (9,000,000 kyat, a little less than $7,000).

Gillnet boats are essentially the same size as the smaller longline boats, and some fishermen have licenses for both gears on one boat. Gillnets especailly target tuna, mackerel, and bait for longlines (flying fish, for example).

Fishermen generally borrow money from buyers for boats as well as for fishing gear. Most boats are owner-operated, some have a family member as crew. Wages for non-family crews are primarily share.

In the off season (monsoon), many fishermen switch gears, especially to baby trawls. Baby trawls are illegal, but generally accepted (one port we visited was home to over 100 boats, every single one of which was either a full-time or seasonal baby trawler). The monsoon season is reportedly good for shrimp trawling. Gillnets are also employed in the monsoon season when they tend to stay closer to shore.

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Table 8. Numbers of boats participating in each fishery:

Fishery Thandwe Gwa Kyentali total Long Line 47 29 55 131 Gill net (3 layers) 10 12 25 47 Drift gill net 435 96 20 551 Baby Trawl - - 45 45 Total 492 137 145 774

The chart above is based on interviews by the Wildlife Conservation Society with local DoF officials in Thandwe, Gwa, and Kyentali. The data should be viewed as the primary gear for each boat (some boats change gear for parts of the year).

Value: There are not good numbers available on the value of the fisheries, but some boat owners shared figures for gross revenues. One large longline owner said that a typical gross revenue for his boat in recent years was 100 lakhs (10,000,000 kyat, just under $7,500 a year). Another longline owner said his net revenue was 3.5 lakhs per month on average (350,000 kyat, $250, or $3,000 for the year). If those numbers are average, then the annual value of the longline catch is just under $1 million.

Markets and Product Forms The most valuable product is the swim bladder of conger eel, fetching a dry-weight price of 6 lakhs/viss (600,000 kyat per 1.63 kg, or roughly $270/kg). Dried puffer fish bladders are almost as valuable, with a dry weight price of 5.5 lakhs/viss in late 2016.

Processing is minimal, with most fish either sold fresh or dried. The rough price for dried fish in late 2016 was 4,000 kyat/viss (about $1.80/kg dry weight).

Buyers appear to be numerous, with many representing larger buyers in Yangon. Fishermen tend to take small loans from and be loyal to a single buyer, but there are often different buyers for different products (different buyers for dried fish, fresh fish, and puffer/conger bladders, for example).

Trends Harvest numbers are not readily available, and anecdotal evidence from processors and fishermen vary widely. Some fishermen said that prices and volumes were stable, but most reported that some species were in decline but others were stable, and prices were generally up (but with some down also). Most fishermen who reported stable catches also reported spending more time on the water in recent years. The number of boats is also in flux, with some areas reporting a decline and others an increase. It appears that volatility in the fishery is mitigated by changing fishing gears and locations in response to changes in both prices and the availability of fish. For this reason, trends in specific species abundance are difficult to ascertain.

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Appendix 2: Southern Rakhine Purse Seine Fishery Primary Species Setipinna spp. & Stolephorus spp. (anchovies) Scomberomorus spp. (mackerel) Katsuwonus pelamis (skipjack tuna) and other assorted tunas Pampus argentius (silver pomfret) Dussumieria spp. (sardine) Ablennes hians (needle fish) Lepturacanthus savala (ribbon fish) & many more pelagic species

Anchovy is the primary purse seine target fish, with good harvests from November to May, and a peak between December and March. Bycatch species include rays, sharks, and turtles, as well as some marine mammal interactions.

Primary Harvest Technology The purse seine fishery occurs at night, and one purse seine vessel is normally accompanied by two light boats. Groups generally leave the dock at 3-4 pm and return in the very early morning. Fishing ceases during the full moon, so there are roughly 22 days of fishing each month. The boats generally fish from 8 to 12 nm offshore.

The fishery is closed during the monsoon season, when some switch boats to fish with illegal baby trawls. Other boat owners switch to gillnetting for sardines, while others reported buying sardines to dry but not fishing at all.

Purse seine operations require significant investment. Most owners have only one group, but there are a few owners with 2-5 boats. A new purse seiner costs 6-7 million kyat (about $5,000), while a light boat is about 5 million kyat ($3,500). Another 13 lakhs for the lights ($1,000), and high annual maintenance costs for nets, lights, and generators.

Purse seine boats usually have a crew of 10-12, while the lights boats just 1-2 people. Captains normally are paid a share of the revenues, while crew wages vary from salary to share depending on the availability of local labor (when labor is scarcer owners tend to switch from salary to share).

Table 9. Numbers of purse seine vessels

Fishing Gear Thandwe Gwa Kyentali total

Purse Seine 230 62 35 327

The chart above is based on interviews by the Wildlife Conservation Society with local DoF officials in Thandwe, Gwa, and Kyentali, and does not include the number of light boats. 22 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine

According to one purse seine owner, a single purse seiner can average 80,000 Viss (over 130 mt) in a year. Of two purse seine owners who shared their recent annual gross revenues, one reported 500 lakhs (50 million kyat, about $37,000) and the other 300 lakhs ($22,000) from the previous year. Averaging those two over 327 purse seiners adds up to a value generated by the purse seine fishery of just under $10 million.

Markets and Product Forms The vast majority of catch is dried or salted for both local and Chinese markets. Anchovies are commonly used to make fish sauce, a popular ingredient, and one boat owner we met was experimenting with fish sauce production, but most simply dry and sell the fish. Processing into dried fish is generally done by the employees of the boat owners.

Mackerel and pomfret, as well as some other assorted species are often sold fresh, whole. Higher quality fish generally go to Yangon, while lower quality and/or lower priced fish may be sold locally.

The current price for anchovy is about 6,000 kyat/viss (about $2.70/kg, dry weight). The price of mackerel in November 2016 was 1,500 kyat/viss (68 cents /kg wet weight).

Trends Good data is not available on catch trends, and anecdotal evidence varies widely. Many purse seine owners reported declines of 20-40% in catch over the last 5-10 years, but others claimed that catches had remained stable over the same period. It may also be that the purse seine fleet has not depleted many fast-growing pelagic species. On the other hand, the numbers of boats have declined in many of areas, which may explain why some boats are still able to maintain catches despite declining stocks of some species. In the town of Kyietaw, for example, 5 years ago there were 80 purse seine owners and about 140 boat groups. In November 2016 there were 70 owners and 74 boat groups. In Kyentali, five years ago there were 80-100 boats on the fishing grounds, now only 30-40.

Prices are significantly higher than in the past. In the last five years, the price of trash fish has reportedly doubled, the dried fish price has tripled, and mackerel and anchovy prices are 3-5 times higher.

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Appendix 3: Manaung Island Artisanal Fishery Primary Species Prawns (family Penaeidae) groupers (Family Serranidae) mackerels, tuna, bonito (Family Scombridae) pomfret (family Carangidae) triple tail fish (Lobotes surinamensis) lobster (Panilurus spp) crab (Portunus pelagicus and other spp) sardines, threadfin bream, and many other pelagic and demersal fish

The wide varieties of gears used in inshore water mean that a wide variety of both pelagic and demersal species are harvested. There is no fish bycatch in this mixed-species fishery – all species caught are kept. Protected species such as turtles, dolphins, and dugongs are occasionally encountered.

Fishing takes place year-round, but is limited by weather in the rainy season, when daily catches increase but the number of fishing days are constrained.

Primary Harvest Technology Drift gillnets and trammel nets are the most common gear types. Baby trawls (not legal but tolerated) are also common, especially in the rainy season when shrimp harvests are best. Lobster nets, fence nets (staked), longline, and a small number of purse seines are also used. In the off season (monsoon), many fishermen switch gears, especially to baby trawls.

Drift gillnet boats range from 15 to 30 ft. long with motors 7-15 HP. The cost to set up a gillnet boat ranges from 35 to 75 lakhs ($2,500 - $5,000) depending on size of boat and engine (with the largest about 30 ft long with a 25 HP engine). Fishermen generally borrow money from buyers for boats as well as for fishing gear. Most boats are owner-operated, some have a family member as crew.

The Manaung Township DoF office estimates that are over 3,000 fishermen on Manaung Island, and that over 1/3 of the population (about 65,000 people) depend on fishing for their livelihoods. The number of boats is not clear.

Value: There are no good numbers available on the value of Manaung’s fisheries, but the Township DoF office estimates the annual catch for 2015-16 at 4.1 million viss (about 6,500 mt). One buyer interviewed estimated that 90% of the harvest was dried and 10% went to the fresh markets either locally or in Yangon. He also said that the average price over the last year was 3,000 kyat/viss for dried (which takes about 3 viss of wet to produce 1 viss of dry) and 6,000 kyat/viss for fresh. Extrapolating those numbers over 4.1 million viss of fish harvest results in a value generated by the Manaung fishery in the ballpark of $4.5 million.

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On the other hand, the largest buyer in Manaung for fresh estimated that they pay out 3,000 – 3,500 lakhs a year to their fishermen. If they are responsible for 50% of the fresh-to-Yangon market, then Yangon market fish generate about $450,000 of value annually. Dried fish make up probably 80-90% of the harvest and are significantly lower value (roughly half the price for 1/3 the weight due to drying), leading to a generous estimate of the value of the fishery at $1.5 million – probably a more realistic estimate.

Markets and Product Forms Processing is minimal, with most fish dried and some of the higher value species including shrimp, lobster, and pomfret sold fresh. It appears that prices for fish sold in local markets remain relatively stable throughout the year, while higher value species (those going to Yangon) increase in value during the rainy season.

In Manaung town, one buyer, YHP Seafood, dominates the market, accounting (by their own estimation) for about 50% of the products sent from the island to Yangon. Another 4 buyers account for the rest, and there is a very large local market for fish also, although 90% of prawns and pomfret go to Yangon. Fishermen tend to take advances from buyers and are then loyal to that buyer. In smaller villages, there is commonly one buyer for “ice kept” (fresh) fish along with many opportunities to sell fish in the local market.

Trends Harvest numbers are not readily available, and anecdotal evidence from processors and fishermen varies widely. Most fishermen we talked to could not point to a percentage reduction in catch, but every single one complained that they are working harder (fishing longer hours) than they did 5 or 10 years ago. One fishermen cited mackerel as an example, claiming that the size of the fish had remained stable over the last ten years, but that while ten years ago catching 10 mackerel in a day was average, now he is lucky to catch three. Most fishermen agreed that prices were higher now than ever before. With so many different species harvested, trends in specific species abundance are difficult to ascertain.

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Appendix 4: Rakhine-Based Offshore Trawl Fishery Figure 5. Primary landing site and DoF checkpoint for the Rakhine offshore trawl fleet

Source: WCS Myanmar

Primary Species Prawns (family Penaeidae), esp. what is known locally as tiger, pink, white, and flower Squid (numerous spp) Scomberomorus spp. (mackerel) Katsuwonus pelamis (skipjack tuna) and other assorted tunas & many more pelagic species

Prawns are the primary offshore trawl fishery target species, with the best fishing coinciding with the monsoon season, which is also a closed season for a portion of the fleet (by regulation only 40% of the Myanmar-wide licensed offshore trawl fleet could fish in June-July-August). All fish harvested are kept, but apart from some higher value species, are generally sold as trash 26 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine fish by the crew to supplement their income. Bycatch species are also numerous and include rays, sharks, and turtles, as well as some marine mammal interactions.

Primary Harvest Technology The Thandwe-based offshore trawl fleet consists of 54 boats, all of which are older (over 20 years old) and mostly wooden vessels (there are 5 steel-hulled boats) ranging from 50-90 feet in length and 30-90 GT. The boats are crewed by as few as 10 and as many as 40 people who typically spend 15 days at sea.

Many of the boats fish in groups so that they can take turns bringing catch and crew back to port. Many of the boats have single owners and the largest owner, TMP processing, owns 12. The Rakhine DoF central office issued 315 offshore trawl licenses in 2016, but the Thandwe Offshore Trawl Association estimates that there are probably another 100 active offshore trawlers fishing off the Rakhine. These boats come from other states, especially Tanintharyi, and are similarly met by carrier boats, although they generally do not land their catch in Rakhine. Their treatment of crew and fishing practices are difficult to ascertain.

There are two large processors in Thandwe, LAI and TMP. Last year LAI processed 300 mt of shrimp and TMP between 600 and 1,000 mt on average. TMP also processes 80-100 mt of squid and fish per year. Based on the 2016 average world price for shrimp ($11.03 per pound) that translated to a value of over $27 million. This does not account for significant shrimp harvests by inshore baby trawlers, but neither does it account for higher value species such as tiger prawns.

Markets and Product Forms Prawn prices are tied to world commodity shrimp prices so that local prices have more to do with world markets and the U.S. dollar exchange rate that local supply. Tiger prawns have the highest market value, followed by pink shrimp. White and flower varieties follow and are roughly the same price. Most prawns are fresh frozen, mostly head-off, for export. Japan is the largest market, followed by China and then Australia. TMP can export directly to the U.S.

Trends Good data is not available on catch trends, but anecdotal evidence suggests a 30% decline in harvests over the last 5 years. Recent years have shown a significant increase in the number of boats fishing, however, so conclusions about population health are difficult to draw. The value of the US$ against the Myanmar kyat has also steadily increased over the last five years, so for shrimp sold into the world market, a 50% increase in the value of the dollar may offset the 30% decline in harvest.

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Appendix 5: Figure 6. Myanmar Fisheries within the full FPI database

Sector Performance Triple Bottom Line Indicators Indicators

Fishery Harvest Post-Harvest Ecology Economics Community Sector Sector Performance Performance 1 Lobster (Nephrops) Iceland 2010 5.00 4.34 4.05 4.41 4.17 2 Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon USA 2016 5.00 3.32 3.36 3.35 3.54 3AK Pollock US 2013 4.88 4.38 3.52 4.28 4.12 4AK Salmon US 2009 4.88 2.86 3.40 3.08 3.38 5 AK Halibut US 2011 4.88 4.01 3.60 4.05 3.76 6 Prince William Sound Salmon USA 2016 4.88 3.15 3.50 3.37 3.42 7 Southeast Alaska Salmon USA 2016 4.88 3.17 3.36 3.25 3.48 8 Skipjack Tuna Maldives 2013 4.75 3.53 3.93 3.97 3.38 9Cod Norway 2010 4.75 3.83 3.98 4.18 3.78 10 Purse Seiners Norway 2010 4.75 3.88 3.98 4.23 3.78 11 OR Dungeness Crab US 2010 4.63 3.33 3.48 3.38 3.50 12 Kaimana mud crab Indonesia 2016 4.50 3.51 3.52 3.50 3.50 13 Wagu lobster Japan 2016 4.50 3.61 4.60 4.07 4.18 14 Toyama Bay set-net Japan 2016 4.50 3.47 4.60 3.93 4.18 15 Spencer Gulf Prawn Australia 2011 4.38 3.79 4.45 4.09 4.17 16 Suruga Pink Shrimp Japan 2010 4.38 3.61 4.31 3.90 3.99 17 Hoki New Zealand 2011 4.38 4.25 3.90 4.12 4.22 18 CA Spot Prawn US 2015 4.38 4.04 4.07 4.08 3.94 19 Naya-ura set net Japan 2016 4.38 3.46 4.64 3.98 4.15 20 Ofunato set net salmon Japan 2016 4.38 3.82 4.48 3.95 4.32 21 Lake Victoria Dagaa Uganda 2010 4.25 2.93 3.33 3.37 2.70 22 Lake Victoria Tilapia Uganda 2010 4.25 3.06 3.29 3.07 3.12 23AK Crab US 2011 4.25 4.44 3.71 4.19 4.23 24 Kaimana bagan baitfish Indonesia 2016 4.25 2.88 3.40 3.53 3.03 25 Western Zone Abalone Australia 2011 4.13 4.10 4.67 4.33 4.28 26 CA Dungeness US 2015 4.13 3.49 3.98 3.58 3.95 27 CA Market Squid US 2015 4.13 3.76 4.07 3.83 4.02 28 SE Sulawesi skipjack tuna Indonesia 2016 4.13 3.15 4.05 3.57 3.36 29 Toshi small boat Japan 2016 4.13 3.43 4.62 3.85 4.18 30Ofunato Saury Japan 2016 4.13 3.74 4.43 3.82 4.35 31 Nanao Bay sea cucumber Japan 2016 4.13 3.58 4.50 3.80 4.24 32 IO Purse Seine Tuna EU 2013 4.00 3.85 4.17 4.15 3.90 33 Baltic Cod Sweden 2010 4.00 3.79 4.12 3.67 4.16 34 Southern Zone Rock Lobster Australia 2012 4.00 4.01 4.69 4.20 4.38 35 CA Sablefish US 2015 4.00 3.90 3.60 3.62 3.88 36 Artisanal Westpoint2 Liberia 2015 4.00 3.08 3.93 3.86 3.10 37FL Blue Crab USA 2016 4.00 3.74 4.02 3.74 3.84 38 Industrial Tuna Ecuador 2013 3.88 3.88 4.31 3.94 4.12 39 Lombok shark Indonesia 2016 3.88 2.78 4.10 3.48 3.26 40 FL Spiny Lobster US 2010 3.75 3.53 4.12 3.65 3.97 41 Pacific Groundfish US 2011 3.75 3.82 3.45 3.61 3.72 42 CA Sea Urchin US 2015 3.75 3.96 3.88 3.77 3.90 43CA Rock Crab US 2015 3.75 3.69 4.00 3.74 3.88 44 India ABNJ Longliners India 2015 3.75 3.19 4.07 3.45 3.65 45 Southern Zone Morocco 2013 3.69 3.60 3.75 4.14 3.38 46 Indonesia Longline Tuna Indonesia 2013 3.63 3.64 4.07 3.63 3.90 47 Inshore Artisanal Seychelles 2011 3.63 3.51 4.10 3.89 3.86 48FL Stone Crab USA 2016 3.63 3.51 4.10 3.51 4.08 49 Beel Chatra Bangladesh 2010 3.50 2.97 4.05 4.18 2.67 50 Artisanal Sole and Catfish Gambia 2010 3.50 3.35 3.38 3.36 3.44 51 Artisanal Robertsport Liberia 2013 3.50 2.96 3.79 3.33 3.26 52 Semi-Industrial Liberia Liberia 2013 3.50 2.90 3.07 3.24 3.03 53 Semi-Industrial Seychelles Seychelles 2011 3.50 3.97 4.05 4.16 3.98 54 Louisiana Shrimp US 2010 3.50 3.35 3.90 3.52 3.75 55 CA Urchin10 US 2010 3.50 4.10 3.52 3.61 3.92 56 CA Sea Cucumber US 2015 3.50 3.57 3.93 3.58 3.78 57 S. Sumbawa yellowfin tuna Indonesia 2016 3.50 3.23 4.05 3.45 3.45 58 Kailin Nadi Bangladesh 2010 3.38 2.69 3.54 3.39 2.67 59 Purse Seine Tuna Mexico 2013 3.38 4.26 4.67 4.22 4.62 28 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine

60 N. Sumbawa yellowfin tuna Indonesia 2016 3.38 3.19 3.76 3.39 3.41 61 FL Spiny Lobster USA 2016 3.38 3.40 4.12 3.67 3.92 62 Madeira River Brazil 2016 3.38 2.60 3.79 2.89 3.15 63 Tokyo Bay Japan 2013 3.25 3.69 4.27 3.55 4.43 64 CA Spiny Lobster US 2015 3.25 3.56 4.02 3.64 3.92 65 Kaimana artisanal finfish Indonesia 2016 3.25 3.03 3.83 3.12 3.52 66 Shandong Spanish Mackerel China 2016 3.25 3.68 4.05 3.88 4.06 67 Pabna Sadullaspracole Bangladesh 2010 3.13 2.75 3.33 3.11 2.67 68 Lesser Sunda Artisanal Snapper Indonesia 2010 3.13 3.24 3.60 3.02 3.52 69 Longline Tuna Taiwan Taiwan 2013 3.13 4.17 4.31 3.83 4.70 70 S. Sumatra blue swimming crab Indonesia 2016 3.13 3.53 3.50 3.10 4.00 71 Gujarat Trawl India 2015 3.13 3.21 3.88 3.26 3.75 72 India Motorized longline India 2015 3.13 3.01 4.10 3.11 3.67 73 offshore trawl, Thandwe Myanmar 2017 3.13 3.64 3.88 3.41 4.18 74 Central Zone Morocco 2013 3.06 3.22 4.31 3.78 3.41 75 TRY Oysters Gambia 2010 3.00 2.17 2.40 2.23 1.78 76 Lake Chiuta Malawi 2013 3.00 2.75 3.33 3.45 2.45 77 La Paz Bay Chocolata Mexico 2013 3.00 2.76 3.93 2.98 3.65 78 Anchovy Peru 2011 3.00 3.68 3.98 3.44 4.03 79 Sea Cucumber Seychelles 2011 3.00 3.60 4.21 3.56 4.19 80 S. India Trawl India 2015 3.00 3.15 4.05 3.26 3.74 81 artisinal fishery, Manaung Myanmar 2017 3.00 3.21 3.88 3.33 3.51 82 La Paz Bivalves Mexico 2013 2.88 2.33 3.71 2.75 2.87 83 GOM Snapper US 2014 2.88 3.79 3.83 3.79 3.92 84 CA Nearshore Finfish US 2015 2.88 3.92 3.88 3.77 3.96 85 CA Salmon US 2015 2.88 3.33 3.88 3.10 3.88 86 Southern Rakhine State purse seineMyanmar 2016 2.88 3.04 3.81 3.39 3.46 87 Nile Perch Uganda 2010 2.75 3.39 3.60 3.07 3.74 88 N. Sumbawa demersal Indonesia 2016 2.75 2.84 3.69 2.98 3.36 89 Guangdong Cuttlefish-squid China 2016 2.75 3.51 3.95 3.76 3.88 90 Fujian Swimming Crab China 2016 2.75 3.56 3.90 3.71 4.00 91 Wan Shan Island China 2016 2.75 3.15 3.69 3.27 3.69 92 Artisanal Shimoni Kenya 2013 2.63 2.46 3.29 2.79 2.72 93 Phillippines Blue Crab Phillippines 2010 2.63 3.44 3.36 3.27 3.26 94 Artisanal Ngaparou Senegal 2013 2.63 2.64 3.52 2.89 3.11 95 Sherbro Sierra Leone 2013 2.63 2.72 3.60 3.33 2.66 96 SE Sulawesi blue swimming crab Indonesia 2016 2.63 3.40 3.69 2.95 4.00 97 Mawlamyine Croaker-Hilsa Myanmar 2016 2.63 2.78 3.90 2.88 3.64 98 Southern Rakhine State small boatMyanmar 2016 2.63 2.94 3.74 3.20 3.22 99 Artisanal Axim Ghana 2013 2.50 2.79 4.19 3.42 3.25 100 Indonesia Blue Crab Indonesia 2010 2.50 3.33 3.76 3.14 3.79 101 Artisanal Senegal Senegal 2010 2.50 3.39 3.76 3.16 3.76 102 Tombo Sierra Leone 2013 2.50 2.50 3.88 3.28 2.93 103 NE Groundfish US 2008 2.50 3.42 3.55 2.98 3.88 104 Central Sulawesi demersal Indonesia 2016 2.50 3.75 4.10 3.45 4.04 105 S. Sulawesi grouper Indonesia 2016 2.50 3.11 3.83 3.18 3.39 106 Bilugyun stationary trawl Myanmar 2016 2.50 2.75 3.43 3.05 2.91 107 Sardine Purse Seine Brazil 2016 2.50 2.28 3.38 2.40 3.06 108 Shrimp Industrial Colombia 2010 2.38 3.25 4.29 3.19 4.00 109 Artisanal Ghana 2010 2.38 2.39 3.36 2.98 2.77 110 Octopus Kenya 2013 2.38 3.39 3.74 3.17 3.94 111 Artisanal Westpoint Liberia 2011 2.38 2.40 3.12 2.76 2.71 112 La Paz Bivalves Mexico 2011 2.38 2.49 3.45 2.56 2.94 113 S. Sumbawa demersal Indonesia 2016 2.38 2.58 3.83 2.68 3.32 114 Shrimp Artisanal Colombia 2010 2.25 2.81 4.18 3.16 3.68 115 Fish Trawl (offshore) Vietnam 2014 2.25 2.88 4.10 3.33 3.49 116 South China Sea China 2016 2.25 3.32 3.24 3.03 3.71 117 Thanh Hoa Vietnam 2011 2.13 3.01 3.45 2.92 3.13 118 Shrimp Trawl (inshore) Vietnam 2014 2.00 2.92 3.71 3.07 3.40

29 FPIs / Coastal Fisheries / Rakhine

Appendix 6: Interviewees November 2016 Kim Noe Yee – Department of Fisheries officer, Thandwe district Daw Khim May Thet - Purse seine owner, Kyeitaw beach Dried fish processor, Kyeitaw port Dried fish processor (also buys fish and owns purse seine boats), Kyeitaw beach Thandwe Purse Seine Association, Kyeitaw Lin Aung Industry Operations, fish processor (esp. shrimp), Thandwe Purse seine owner, Kyeintali 2 officers, Dept. of Fisheries, Kyeintali office Aung Khin Moe, fish buyer (also owns 2 longline boats), Kyeintali Myint Win, longline boat owner, Kyeintali Fish buyer (and dried fish processor), Kyeintali Longline captain, Kyeintali Phoe Hoot, purse seine boat owner, Kyeintali Myint Tin, purse seine owner, Kyeintali Fresh fish and lobster buyer, Satthwa village, Gwa Live reef fish and lobster buyer, Satthwa village, Gwa Two officers, Dept of Fisheries office, Gwa township Coffee shop meeting with 8 fishermen, 3 purse seine owners, & 5 gillnet/longline fishermen/collectors Fish collector, Ya Haiaggadoe village, Gwa Baby trawl captain, Gwa U Mynt, purse seine owner (and live fish collector), Ma Kyay Ngu villave, Gwa Dive boat owner, Ma Kyay Ngu villave, Gwa 2 offshore trawler owners, Kyeintali

January 2017 Lin Aung Industry Operations, fish processor (esp. shrimp), Thandwe Dr. Nyunt Wai, Director, Rakhine State Fisheries Department 2 Dept of Fisheries officers, Manaung township boat owner/buyer, Kha-onmaw village, Manaung Island fish buyer, Myaw Taw Oo village, Manaung Island group mt. with 25 fishermen, Myaw Taw Oo village, Manaung Island U Thein Nynt, fisherman and buyer, Manaung town U That Nyunt, Director, and Thet Naing Oo, manager, YHP fish processor, Manaung town U Nyo Maung, village head, Sin Gaung village, near Thandwe Kho Zayar, fish buyer, Sin Gaung village, near Thandwe live lobster buyer, Sin Gaung village, near Thandwe dried shrimp buyer, processor, Sin Gaung village, near Thandwe purse seine captain and 2 crew members, Sin Gaung village, near Thandwe Cho We Schwe, purse seine owner, Ngapali beach, Thandwe Wai Lin Tun, anchovy buyer/processor, Kyeitaw Amy Win, owner, Thandwer Marine Products (TMP) fish processing co. 2 DoF offshore trawl checkpoint officers U U Wei, Tun Ayakya, & U Than Naing, boat owners in Thandwe offshore trawl assoc. San Pyau, YHP fish broker, Yangon River fish market U Cho Min, fried fish collector in Bayint Naung (wholesale dry fish mkt in Yangon) U Kyaw San, live fish buyer/exporter, Mingaladen, Yangon