Professor Cherry Aung3
3Pathein University , , Myanmar
The Thanlwin or ‘Salween’ River Estuary is well-known in Myanmar for its rich fishery and wide range of fishes. This presentation focuses on community fishery livelihoods in this estuary, exploring the transformation of riparian communities in Mon and Kayin State, as linked to both local and global transformations. The research was conducted through interviews, focus groups, and household surveys across four villages located in the estuary over the period of 2015–2016, and investigates changes to fishers and livelihoods over a ten-year period beginning in 2005. The author presents evidence of fisheries decline and the associated overfishing and environmental changes that have impacted fish habitat and species in the estuary. The author also examines the socio-economic differentiation linked to fishing and other events in the estuary. The presentation includes recommendations for improved management and further research.
Biography
Professor Cherry Aung is Head of the Department of Marine Science at Pathein University, Myanmar. Prior to moving to Pathein University’s Marine Science Department (one of only three in Myanmar), she also worked at the Department of Marine Science at Mawlamyaine University, at the mouth of the Salween River. Professor Cherry Aung’s research interests include socio-economy of fisheries, sedimentation in the Irrawaddy Delta, and coastal resources like mangroves and corals.