Recovery of fisheries resources should focus on management and addressing the key issues that were present before the tsunami. These include long-term problems of resource depletion and ecosystem degradation.
Attempts to restore resources and ecosystems should go a step further and ensure that building resilience against future disasters is included in all strategies.
In their present condition, fisheries in Aceh and Sri Lanka are not generally in a
condition to promote economic recovery. Governments should consider alternative and adjunct activities to fisheries for rebuilding livelihoods and their economies (post-harvest processing, facilities and transport to markets, other sea- or land-based activities).
Recovery of fisheries will also need to address the new "human factors" that have arisen since the tsunami. These include problems of increased capacity, increasing fuel prices, declining fish prices, problems with transportation, changes in fishing grounds, financing, illegal fishing and conflicts with other rehabilitation programmes.
There is an urgent need to address pre-existing problems of weak institutions and
enforcement in fisheries that have been exacerbated by the new problems now arising after the tsunami. This will require increasing capacity for effective research and management of fisheries, including training, facilities, funding and better data collection and utilization mechanisms. It will also require new skills in dealing with conflicts among fisherfolk and industry, equitable and effective assistance to communities and innovative diversification of livelihoods.
Replacement of boats and gear in affected communities needs better scrutiny and management. Problems of oversupply, inappropriate beneficiaries, replacing traditional boats with larger, motorized vessels and poor vessel quality urgently need addressing.
The relationship between decreased or increased fishing effort after the tsunami and resulting changes in catch and catch/boat present an opportunity for further investigations on the number of vessels for optimal yields.
The direct impacts on fisheries resources reported by fisherfolk (for example anchovies/lobster in Sri Lanka) merit further study.
Mechanisms for rebuilding fisheries livelihoods should remain flexible and able to adapt to lessons learned through regular monitoring of outcomes. This should include improved data management mechanisms and improved capacity in analysis.
