“Occupational safety issues of artisanal Hilsa (Tenualosa

ilisha) fishermen in the Southern Bangladesh”Dr. Md. Sazedul Hoque*, Dr. Brakel, Martin L. Van; Biplob DeyMithun

Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh

Fisheries is an important sector of Bangladesh

Ø Globally,Bangladeshis4th ranksininlandfisheriesproductionØ Fishcreatesjobopportunities(16.4million)Ø Fishmeets60%ofthedemandofanimalproteininBangladeshØ Fishisthe2nd largestexportitem(2%oftotalexportearning)Ø Grossdomesticgrowth(GDP)(3.65%)Ø CommerciallyimportantspeciesincludeHilsa shad(Tenualosa ilisha);

Freshwaterprawn(Macrobrachium rosenberghii),Marinewater shrimp(Penaeus monodon)

CommercialFishinggrounds&vesselsinBangladesh

4CommercialfishinggroundsintheBayofBengal

IndustrialSector:• Totalnumber:239–Mid-watertrawler:204– ShrimpTrawler:35

ArtisanalSector:• Totalfishingboats:57,863– Non-mechanized:27,699–Mechanized:30,164

SignificanceofHilsa inBangladesh• Totalproduction:ca.0.41M.MT

(11%oftotalfishproductioninBD)– Inlandwater:0.15M.MT– Marinewater:0.26M.MT

• 65%ofworldwideHilsaproduction(India:15%)

• 1%ofGDP• GeographicalIndication(GI)

productofBangladesh• Employment: 2.5 million

– along supply chain (fishing,marketing, processing, transporting)

Objectives

• Identify different occupational hazards and safetyissues faced by hilsa fishermen, focusing on:– Social Hazards– Natural Hazards– Physical hazards– Anthropogenic hazards

• Identify potential interventions for improvement ofartisanal hilsa fisher’s safety at sea

MethodsDataonfishingoccupationalhazardswerecollectedthrough:• Questionnairesurvey

• Focusgroupdiscussion

• KeyInformantinterviews

• Newspaperreports• Onlineinformation

TypesofFishermen• Sixtypesofartisanalhilsa fishermen

TypeoffishermenProporti

on(%)

Share(parts)Winter season *Rainy season

Boatandnetowner 45 10 9JointpartnershipofBoatandnetowner (company)

15

Fishermen/Skipperoffishingboat 10 2 2Fishermen/Assistantskipperoffishingboat

- 1.5 1.5

Fishermen/MechanicsFishermen - 1.5 1.5

Laborfishermen 30 1 2

Fishermen organization Members

Boat and net owner 110Driver fishermen (Majhi) 144(practicallymore)Fish handling worker 400Wholesaler/arotder 50

75

17.515

50

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Targeted (Hilsa) Non targeted All species Others

% R

espo

nden

t

Types of fishing

70%

30%

Occupation Status

Full time Part time

Credit access (loan) and payback condition

05

101520253035404550

10

2022.5

12.517.5

12.5

45

% R

espo

nden

t

Credit access (loan)

Easily55%

Not easily45%

Payback condition

1012.5

25

12.5

40

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

<5 years 5--10 years 11--15 years 16--20 years >20 years

% R

espo

nden

tFishing experience

55%34%

11%

Fishing experience received

Ancestor Neighbour Boatowner

Table:Types,lengthandstoragefacilitiesoffishingboat

Typesoffishingboat

Lengthoffishingboat(ft)

Storagefacilities(MT)

Numberofcrew

Types Proportion(%)

Length(ft)

Prop.(%) capacity(MT)

Prop.(%)

Crew Prop.(%)

Small 50% <20 32% 5-10 38% 5-10 50%

Medium 20% 20-40 47% 10-15 56% 10-15 10%

Large 30% 40-60 21% 15-20 16% 15-20 40%

Engine capacity, preference and licensing

Chinese87%

Jpanese13%

Engine preference

Yes70%

No30%

Having license

42.5

7.55

25

7.512.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

<50HP 50--100HP 100--150HP 150--200HP 200--250HP 250--300HP

% R

espo

nden

t

Engine capacity

Table: Fishing seasons, Trip duration, Fishing depth and Fishingdistance

Fishingseasons Tripduration Fishingdepth FishingdistanceSeasons %

Respt.Days %

Respt.Depth(ft) %

ResptDistance(km)

%Respt

Summer 12.5% 1-5 30% <200 65% <100 7.5%

Rainy 27.5% 6-10 50% 200-300 17.5% 100-200 30%

Winter 10% 11-15 20% 300-400 10% 200-300 17.5%

Allyear 57.7% 400-500 7.5% 300-400 10%

Fishing gear used

42%

50%

8%

Fishing gear

Seine net Gill net Fixed net

Social factor&

Natural Hazards90

75

52.5

15

47.5

0

20

40

60

80

100

% R

espo

nden

t

Social factor

90 92.5

75

50

0

20

40

60

80

100

Heavy rain Cyclone Hot weather Ocean storm

% R

espo

nden

t

Natural hazards during fishing

Physical hazards during & after fishing

70 70 75

40

25

77.5

50

2.5 5 2.50

102030405060708090

% R

espo

nden

tPhysical hazards during fishing

65

40

52.5

157.5 10 10 10

010203040506070

Eye problem

Dizziness Vomiting tendency

Fever Caugh Headache Abdominal pain

Diarrhoea

% R

espo

nden

t

Physical hazards after fishing

Health hazards

01020304050607080

27.5

5552.5

15

6070

52.5

% R

espo

nden

t

Health Hazards

Anthropogenic hazards

60

72.5

35

75

12.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Pirates attack

Robbery Stuck for ransom

Physical injured

Killing

% R

espo

nden

t

Anthropogenic hazards during fishing Typeoffishermen Costofransom

Boatowner 4-6lacBDT(5,000to7,500US$)

Skipper,Asst.skipper&mechanicsoffishingboat

2-3lacBDT

Laborfishermen Nomoneybutlosteverything&physicallymistreated

LifelossYear Season Causes Number2012 Summer Cyclone 202014 Rainy Cyclone 042015 Rainy Coldtemperature 02

2016Autumn Cyclone 20Winter Cyclone 02Rainy Vesseltookonwater&

cyclone05

2017 Autumn Cyclone 01Rainy Vesseltookonwater 01

2018 Summer Vesseltookonwater 10

Occupational health safety strategies

70

57.5

1012.5

72.5

1510

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Applied indigenous knowledge

Storage medicine

Increasing Training capacity

Sea survival First Aid Health and safety

awareness

Economics and policy

% R

espo

nden

t

Support by Government & Non- government

23%

36%41%

Life jacket Rice Teletalk network coverege

33%

17%17%

33%

Awareness and training Fishing boatFishing net Relief

TrainingName/TopicsofTraining

Trainingduration(day)

Hostorganization

Number

Prohibitionofsmallfishcapture

01 IFISH 06

Bandingofillegalnet 01 IFISH 02

Hilshaconservation 01 IFISH 02

Howtosurviveinsea 01 WorldFish 02Integratedfishculture 01 DoF 02

Conclusion

• Hilsa shadhavinggreatcontributioninlivelihoodofcoastalfishermen

• Significant roleinnutritionsupplyandnationaleconomy• Traditionalorindigenousknowledge,techniquesareusedforseafishing

• Non-mechanizedfishingvessels• Cycloneishighestimpactnaturalhazard• Physicalandanthropogenichazardsalsoofconcern• Limitedgovernmentornon-governmentsupportforsafetyintervention

Recommendation

• Lifeinsurance• Fishingboat&netinsurance• GPSorotherITdevicefordistancecommunication

• Coastguardsecurity• Govt.&non-govt supportforsafetyintervention