EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF CO-MANAGEMENT APPROACHES ON SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Co-management is a way of life.  Co-management is based on the principle of one for all and one for all. Since its inception in 1904, the cooperative management movement has become an integral part of our economic, social, political, and even religious activities. It aims to maximize the use of human and natural resources to accelerate economic expansion. Fishery is a major industry all over the world and fishing is one of the oldest occupations of man.  There is no substitute for fish as a major animal protein source. Nearly one tenth of the world's protein supply is thought to come from fish, either directly or indirectly. Fishing provides sustenance directly without much time lag between the effort and its effects.  In the case of agricultural production, the results are realized after a certain amount of time has passed. Fishing methods got better as demand grew, and a number of new inventions were made. The present model may be treated as a simplistic yet first effort towards impact of co-management approaches on sustainable fisheries management in this region.  A more detailed study involving fishery data and biological observations for a longer time frame coupled with measurements of changing nutrient and physicochemical parameter of the coastal marine ecosystem is required to develop a real time model suitable for practical field applications.