The freshwater
Myanmar fish although not very well known has
almost 300 species. Among these is the miniature
stickleback like fish, Indostomus paradoxus,
first found in Indawgyi Lake in northern Myanmar.
The Inle Lake with its crystalline waters, has
many other kinds of fish.
The Burmese word
for fish is Nga. In the year 2000 Myanmar exported
26900 tons of fish and prawn in the first six
months. During this period export earnings from
fish and prawn went up to US $74 million. Out
of this Myanmar fish was 19000 tons and prawn
7800 tons.
There is an annual
production of 910,000 tons of Myanmar fish and
prawn, both freshwater and deep sea ones. Out
of this 58,900 tons are exported. Fish and prawn
breeding ponds are being increased in Myanmar.
The fishing industry contributes in a large
way to the country's economy. After agriculture
and forestry, fishing is Myanmar's third largest
foreign exchange earner. This sector also plays
a crucial role in social and economic development.
Myanmar has a
long coast line and the swamp along the coast
act as spawning, nursery, and feeding grounds
for aquatic life. It was found that one million
tons of pelagic fish and 0.75 million tons of
demersal fish exist as Myanmar fish in the marine
waters.
The fishing activities
are carried on in three distinct fishing zones:
onshore, inshore and offshore. Freshwater fisheries
consist of a)Fish culture, b) Leasable fisheries
and c) Open fisheries. Marine fisheries are
a) inshore fisheries and b) off shore fisheries.
In the onshore area fishermen used fixed gears
like traps, stake net and cast net. Fishing
here depends on the ebb and flow of tide. In
the inshore area which is 5-10 miles. From the
shore, fishing gear used are gill nets, drift
net, shore seine, small long lines, hand lines
and cast nets. To capture Hilsa fishermen use
encircling gill nets. Fishing in Myanmar is
generally done by indigenous crafts, some of
which are powered by small outboard engines.
Myanmar's water
body is made up of 8.2 million hectares. Out
of this 23594.64 hectares are used for Myanmar
fish aquaculture. There are three types of Inland
fishery: Flood plain, leasable and open fisheries.
Monsoons are
the best season for flood plain fishery. During
seasonal changes, water catchment basins trap
many Myanmar fish species. Streams and water
catchment areas have leasable fishery. This
fishery is seasonal and the lease agreement
is distributed to the fishing operators during
such periods. Open water fishery takes place
in permanent freshwater bodies like streams,
rivers, and lake waters, when licenses are given
to fishing operators. This wide variety of Myanmar
fish is exported mainly to the southeast Asian
countries as well as consumed in the domestic
market.
For price
quotes and any further information, please get
in touch with us at:
Siam
Canadian Foods Co., Ltd.
9th Floor, Suite 283/44, Home Place Office Building.
283 Thonglor 13, Sukhumvit 55
Kongton Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110,
THAILAND
Call us at +66-2-185-3311
Fax: +66-2-185-3317
Email us at info@siamcanadian.com
