Rehabilitation and mitigation of impacts of inland waters
FAO, often in collaboration with partners, has produced significant publications on habitat rehabilitation for fisheries and the restoration of fish passage at weirs and dams, on the basis of the regulations set out in the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible fisheries (CCRF) and the related Technical Guidelines No.6. Other FAO technical material covering management options to mitigate impacts and rehabilitate fisheries include:
- Consideration of fisheries in water management operations and attempt to minimize changes to natural patterns of water fluctuation (depth, quantity, quality, flow) both within the reservoirs, downstream of the dams and within irrigated areas.
- Construction/modification of water control structures for appropriate fish passage to enhance fish migration and movement around (i.e. both upstream and downstream) the dams and irrigation command area
- Protection/enhancement of fish habitat (in particular spawning habitat) or creation of refuges and wetlands
- Responsible stocking and enhancement measures to increase recruitment of fish
- Effective management to prevent over-exploitation of fisheries, improve access to reservoir fisheries for local people, particularly through creation of fisheries groups/organizations to empower local people (including women) to manage fishing, stocking, harvesting and marketing