Myanmar’s fishing industry sustained about US$400 million in damages during Cyclone Nargis, with many fishing boats marooned or destroyed in the storm. Pic: AFP

MYANMAR’s fisheries industry, devastated by Cyclone Nargis, faces a long, steep climb back. But aid is on its way, says the Myanmar Fisheries Federation (MFF).

The storm, which struck most heavily at the Yangon and Ayeyarwady Divisions, inflicted damage on about 55 percent of the of the country’s fisheries sector. The two divisions produce about 1.2 million metric tons of fisheries products for local consumption and for export. The annual production of the sector as a whole is about 2.8 million tonnes.

The MFF is setting up a fund for donations to support the recovery of small-scale fishermen by replacing damaged boats and nets.

“The rehabilitation of the sector with outside help is also needed, and will be handled by the government. For our part, we have to help fishermen through our own efforts,” said an official from the Department of Fisheries.

The government estimates damage to fisheries at K23,140.44 million, though one MFF official thought the final loss to the sector would be higher.

“I think it could reach about US$ 400 million, or maybe even more,” U Hla Maung Shwe, vice chairman of the MFF told The Myanmar Times.

Official figures showed that about 3000 acres of fish farms and about 37,000 acres of shrimp farms were damaged by the cyclone. Fifty-five cold-storage factories were also damaged. The storm sank 329 offshore fishing vessels from the region, including 41 based in Yangon.

More than 2000 coastal fishing boats were also sunk in the storm, including about 1500 non-powered craft.

About 18,000 people involved in the fisheries sector lost their lives, and about 9800 are still missing, according to MFF.

The MFF and the Department of Fisheries (DOF) have set up a committee for the rehabilitation and regeneration of the Myanmar fisheries sector.

“It could be a long-term job, so we set up the committee to do it systematically,” said U Hla Maung Shwe.

“Most of the people on the area depend on fisheries, so many people have been hit hard by the damage done to that sector. Some died and some lost everything and are now living in refugee camps. It is much worse than we thought at first,” said MFF general secretary U Win Kyaing.

MFF collected about K300 million and US$30,000 from donors and needs more to help the fishermen.

“Compared to other sectors, fisheries could revive relatively quickly. We can start catching fish again as soon as we have the boats, nets and fishing gear,” he said.

“Big companies can get bank loans, but grassroots fishermen need utilities to start their work again so that they can stand on their own,” U Win Kyaing said.

The Myanmar Livestock and Fisheries Development Bank is also planning to help the cyclone-affected fisheries business by issuing loans worth K2 billion.
“We will start work in the coming weeks. We will distribute nets, boats and utilities for the fishermen to start their work again. It is an urgent need for their livelihood,” U Win Kyaing said.

He stressed that the funds raised by the MFF would be used solely to help people in the fisheries sector. “This could take years,” he said.

He said MFF was also working with the authorities for the speedy rehabilitation of the whole fisheries sector.

“We hope to rebuild the sector better than it was before unsuch away as to unsure that it is the cyclone,” U Win Kyaing said.

At the International Pledging Conference held on May 25 at the Yangon Sedona Hotel, U Soe Than, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development, said the regeneration of the fisheries sector would have to be prioritised along with agriculture and livestock and the salt-making industry – the sectors that most inhabitants of the storm-struck area rely on for their livelihood.

“The EU and the US have imposed sanctions on our export of fish and meat. I would like to propose that the sanctions be withdrawn so as to help rehabilitate our fish and meat sector,” U Soe Tha said.

He presented details of the rehabilitation requirements of the fisheries sector.
“We have an urgent need for 3200 sets of conical set-net, 1700 drift nets, 553 power boats, 566 non-powered boats 50 million gallons of diesel,” the minister said.

Repairing fishing nets and boats, subsidising fish species in rivers, ponds, open fisheries and dams, distributing fingerlings free of charge, and timely fishing of offshore and coastal fishing boats in the deep sea are all necessary.

Wood to build new fishing boats, and fuel and engines for offshore and coastal fishing vessels will also be needed for the fisheries sector, according to U Soe Tha.