PYAPON, 11 July 2008 (IRIN) - Ten weeks after Cyclone Nargis hit, only a fraction of the small-scale fishermen – the backbone of the industry - have returned to work in the Ayeyarwady Delta, a labyrinth of rivers, ponds and waterways along the coast of the Adaman Sea.

In addition to damaging coastal fisheries, both large and small, the cyclone devastated fish-processing facilities in the area, exacerbating unemployment and the conditions of Myanmar's poor, many of whom depend on wage labour to make ends meet.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), almost 18,000 fishermen lost their lives when the typhoon struck, while another 10,000 are still missing.

"If you multiply this back into households and people affected, you can imagine the order of magnitude," Albert Lieberg, mission leader for an FAO assessment team that travelled to the delta in June, said.

The government estimates that more than 2,000 fishing boats – both "inshore" and "offshore" - were damaged by Nargis, with a cumulative loss of US$276,000, although others believe the real number to be significantly higher.

In-shore boats are generally smaller wooden canoe-like vessels, often without motors, that stay close to shore, but account for most of the industry's output, while off-shore boats are generally larger and motorised, and capable of staying at sea for extended periods.

Hla Maung Shwe, deputy chairman of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation, reported that about 55 percent of the fishing industry had been affected, which will likely affect this year's fish exports – a vital component of the area's fragile economy.

Last year alone, Myanmar exported more than 350,000 metric tonnes (MT) of fish to Europe, China, Thailand, Japan and the Middle East.

However, cold-store managers in Yangon, the former Burmese capital, report not receiving any fish to export from the delta over the past month, forcing them to rely on fish being brought in from Rakhine State in the west of the country near Bangladesh instead.

In-shore fishing generally accounts for much of the country's export trade, local businessmen say. It also affects the most people. But despite their importance to the economy, few of these fishermen have the means to restore their livelihoods.

"In-shore fishermen urgently need fundamental tools [boat and nets] for the sake of their livelihoods and exports," one local fishery analyst told IRIN. "Our country's fish-export market largely relies on them."

Government efforts

Myanmar's Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries has taken measures, including lifting certain restrictions, allowing fishermen to catch fish freely in otherwise restricted areas from June to August so that fishermen can restore their livelihoods quicker.

In addition, scores of craftsmen from various parts of the country have been hired to build thousands of smaller boats for those fishermen living in the affected areas of Bogale, Labutta, Pyapon, Mawlamyinekyun, Kunchankone, Daedayal and Ngputaw to buy in instalments over the next five years.

The government has also reportedly handed over some boats and nets to local authorities to deliver to needy fishermen.

However, given the scale of the damage, much more is needed, particularly in the more rural parts of the delta where many of the fishermen live and access remains limited, say specialists.

"It all comes down to funding," said one observer, who believes that the industry, despite its importance, receives little of the domestic and international assistance it needs compared with other sectors, such as health and agriculture.

The FAO has proposed a number of measures, including restoring local boat-building facilities. "Wood is available and should not be a major problem," FAO's Lieberg said.

The agency is considering distributing gear and nets, as well as the refurbishment and restocking of facilities in the area.

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