Mangrove conservation and coastal management in Southeast Asia: what impact on fishery resources?

Abstract

This paper focuses on relationships between mangroves and coastal fish resources. A review of the literature highlights the lack of quantified relationships. We show that mangroves can be considered as a particular case of an estuarine environment, and then address the broader issue of the relationships between tropical estuaries and fishery resources. An estuarine fish community is composed of three main assemblages, respectively from continental, strictly estuarine or marine origin. The major characteristics of these assemblages are defined. On this basis we detail the different and sometimes opposite impacts of major rehabilitation actions on each assemblage. The biological approach is then widened by a critical overview of current approaches in economic valuation of mangrove-related fish resources. This provides a rational and scientific foundation for economic analysis of resources and for coastal management decisions, and allows us to define priorities for further scientific and policy research in these areas.