Developing approaches for establishing a fisheries baseline: case-study for Xe Bangfai basin (Lao PDR)

The approach of Fish Catch Monitoring of the Nam Theun 2 hydro power project area is documented and describes the fish catch monitoring methodologies implemented for the period from 2006-2014 with special emphasis on changes in the methods and how data collection has evolved in the Xe Bangfai basin.The collected data aimed at documenting changes in the fisheries (e.g. habitat use, daily household catch, gear use and effort) before and after commencement of electricity generation. The methods used rely on social research methods, i.e. recall surveys and household catch logbooks that are provided and maintained by fishermen. The panel survey has demonstrated is appropriateness to monitor and document changes in the fisheries over time with a high level of confidence at relatively low cost. The households participating in the panel remained relatively stable throughout the survey period. The method tends to overestimate fish catches and under estimate the collection of other aquatic animals. The level of effort (fishing days) is consistent between different surveys. The monitoring results provide a good understanding of trends and changes in the fisheries