Why does inland fisheries play an important role in the economy of developing country?
Inland Fisheries
Inland Fisheries:
Any operation carried out to capture or raise fish and other aquatic
animals from "inland waters" is referred to as a "inland fisheries".
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
defines inland waterways as lakes, rivers, streams, canals, reservoirs, and
other land-locked waters (FAO 2014a).
Approximately 0.01% of the total amount of water on earth is found in
inland waters. About 40% of all fish species and 20% of all vertebrate species
are found in inland waters. Furthermore, 65% of inland habitat is categorized
as very or extremely threatened by anthropogenic stressors, meaning populations
may already be extinct before they are recorded.
The importance of inland fisheries:
For a number of the world's developing nations, inland fisheries are
essential because they offer a reliable supply of nutrition, economic security,
and a healthy ecosystem.
- Food safety:
Inland fish are a valuable source of food and nourishment, particularly
for rural economies in developing nations. The majority of the inland catch
fisheries production, which is about 90% of the total, are used for human use.
For instance, 50% of all animal protein consumed in Bangladesh comes from fish.
When other food sources are unavailable or too expensive, inland fishes
can be a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, vitamin D, B
vitamins, vitamin A, iron, zinc, and lysine. Small fish eaten whole provides a
significant source of minerals, such as calcium and vitamin A, which are hard
to get from other dietary sources, especially in impoverished nations. It has
been demonstrated that eating inland fish can lessen the impact of various
diseases linked to micronutrient deficiencies, including as rickets in
Bangladeshi children. In addition to being utilized for direct human
consumption, inland fish can also be fed to animals and used in aquaculture.
- Economic security:
In many parts of the world, turning to inland capture fisheries as a
last resort is common when primary revenue sources falter for a variety of
reasons, including economic changes, conflict, natural catastrophes, and water
development projects. They act as social safety nets, offering additional or
substitute sources of funding, jobs, and food. Inland fisheries also produce
significant income and job possibilities through secondary service activities
like the provision and maintenance of gear, processing, and distribution, in
addition to providing cash and livelihoods through direct fishing activities.
The market value of fish products is increased by secondary operations, which
boosts the overall economic worth of inland fisheries. In addition to their
commercial value, recreational fishing and tourism in particular have
significant economic multiplier impacts on experience activities.
- Empowerment:
Inland fisheries give people the tools they need to take care of their
own emotional and physical needs as well as those of their dependents. This
function is crucial in preventing poverty for vulnerable groups like women,
rural poor people, and ethnic minorities. Lack of land ownership prevents
ethnic minorities in the Mekong Basin from engaging in agricultural pursuits.
They have access to low-cost sustenance and employment opportunities through
inland fisheries. Another example is the generally low level of empowerment
experienced by women in developing nations. However, they make up 20% of all
inland fishermen worldwide and handle 90% of all post-harvest processing (FAO
2014b). In contrast, 43% of agricultural workers in emerging nations are women (FAO
2010b).
- Society and culture:
Around the world, inland fish and fisheries are significant to local communities.
Inland fish are revered and important to the identity of local communities in
many cultures. Additionally, they promote popular leisure pursuits all across
the world. Additionally, inland fish species enhance medical research and
disease prevention, improving human health and wellbeing (e.g., larvivorous
fish and medical research model organisms).
- Ecosystem function and biodiversity:
Fish from inland waters can be extremely important to the health of
their ecosystems. Many inland catch fisheries and aquaculture operations can
also be seen as significant to the "green food" movement because to
their low environmental effect.
Inland ecosystems, when in good health, offer people a variety of
beneficial services (i.e., provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural
services; e.g., detoxification of wastes, management of infectious diseases).
Natural catastrophes and other disturbances to those ecosystems can be
devastating when humans depend on them for their fundamental necessities.
Resilient natural ecosystems bounce back swiftly from such disruptions.
It is important to have diverse inland fish communities because
ecosystems with high species richness are more resilient. The ability to create
transgenic fish, such the genetically altered Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar),
that grow faster and consume less food than non-modified fish is made possible
by the genetic diversity present within species. This diversity serves as the
foundation for selective breeding and stock development. Future inland
aquaculture will place significance on biodiversity as a result of
technological advancements like transgenic fish that require a variety of genes
from the wild. In addition, technology is increasingly being employed to
protect biodiversity from escaped aquaculture fish (e.g., sterile triploids).
Aquatic “canaries”:
Inland fish are excellent indicators of ecological change due to their
key role in aquatic environments. Inland fish are utilized as indicators of the
present and future effects of environmental change on human well-being, much
like the classic "canary in the coal-mine." Beyond overfishing,
anthropogenic influences on aquatic ecosystems, both direct and indirect, are
present and may have unfavorable effects. 65% of freshwater environments are
under risk due to threats such eutrophication, flow modification, habitat
destruction or degradation, and invasion by exotic species (. Due to the
proximity of many anthropogenic activities (such as agriculture, deforestation,
and hydropower) to inland aquatic habitats as well as the fact that aquatic
habitats integrate environmental impacts from all throughout a watershed, these
hazards have a broad scope.
Some environmental stressors, like thermal and chemical pollution, shifting flow patterns, and climatic change, cause a direct response in fish. Fish also have an indirect reaction to environmental stresses. Inland fish are important bioindicators of ecosystem health because they respond to numerous changes in the aquatic and terrestrial environments throughout their watersheds. The Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a frequently used in-situ assessment method for freshwater ecosystems that is based in part on the local fish assemblages, notably the presence or absence of species that are sensitive to habitat perturbations. Inland fish species are frequently employed as laboratory models to evaluate water quality and environmental toxicology in the chemical and pesticide approval processes because of their typical vulnerability to various toxins and important function in aquatic ecosystems.
Despite concerns, inland capture fisheries and inland aquaculture have
modest environmental costs compared to many other sources of food that come
from animals.
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