This document is the first part of a report of a consultation on stock assessment for small-scale fisheries in the Bay of Bengal held in Chittagong, Bangladesh, June 16-21, 1980. The consultation was hosted by the Government of Bangladesh. Fourteen fisheries scientists from the five member countries of the Bay of Bengal Programme- Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand - participated in the consultation, along with BOBP staff and observers.

The first part of the report (Volume 1) is a distilled compilation of available information on fish stocks in the Bay of Bengal region. It also reviews the methodologies adopted by member countries for stock assessment, problems in collecting and interpreting data and measures required to manage fishery resources and to evolve suitable stock assessment programmes. It also lists the conclusions arrived at by the participants.

The second part of the report (Volume 2, BOBP/REP/10-2) contains the full texts of papers on the status of stock assessment submitted to the consultation by each member-country. A background paper was prepared for the consultation, summarising published knowledge on the exploited and exploitable resources in the shelf area of the Bay of Bengal. This paper was revised after the consultation and is being issued separately as a working paper (BOBP/WP/8).

The two reports and the working paper may be useful for fisheries scientists who are concerned with stock assessment, for planners who are responsible for fisheries management and development and for officials concerned with small-scale fisheries development in general.

The report sets out the programme secretariat’s understanding of the views expressed, the discussions that transpired and the conclusions reached at the consultation. It does not necessarily reflect the official views of the FAO or of the member-countries of the Bay of Bengal Programme.

The consultation was an activity of the Bay of Bengal Programme for the Development of Small- Scale Fisheries. This is a regional FAO Programme that seeks to develop and demonstrateappropriate technologies in several areas of small-scale fisheries -such as fishing craft, fishing gear, fish handling and utilization, coastal aquaculture. Its goals are to improve the conditions of small-scale fishermen and the supply of fish from the small-scale sector in five countries that border the Bay of Bengal. The Programme is funded by the Swedish International Development Authority and executed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.