Understanding livelihoods dependent on inland fisheries in Bangladesh and Southeast Asia: Vietnam country status report

Information on fisheries resources in Bangladesh and S.E. Asia is fragmented and has not taken account of poor people and their livelihoods. Research has been supply-led, resulting in limited uptake and gains for the non-poor. Often decisions are based on national level priorities, overlooking the needs of local people, especially the poor, and thus posing a severe threat to local livelihood assets including fisheries. There is a need, as has been expressed by donors, for better information on the livelihoods of the rural poor and the linkages between livelihoods and fisheries, in order that future interventions, whether by donors, governments or research agencies, address the needs of poor fishing communities. The project was focussed on the fisheries of the freshwater floodplains and other wetlands in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. It conducted a synthesis of available data plus focussed fieldwork in order to characterise the fisheries, and highlight the dependence of different stakeholders on them. This report focuses on findings in Vietnam.