Inland fisheries livelihoods in Central Asia: policy interventions and opportunities (FAO fisheries and aquaculture technical paper)

Inland fisheries livelihoods in Central Asia have been highly affected by the deterioration in the economic environment after the collapse of the former Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics in 1991. This publication discusses current policies and potential livelihood-enhancing policy interventions. Examples are given of livelihood or coping strategies that have evolved for those people who currently derive an income from the sector. Three distinct groupings are highlighted in the examples presented in this paper. They include the community fishers of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Kazakh fisher brigades based on the North Aral Sea and the pond culturalists of the Republic of Tajikistan. A concluding section identifies the pre-requisites for more effective livelihood-supporting policy interventions within the fisheries sphere across the Central Asian republics.