Nam Ton Watershed

Knowledge Platform

A perennial water body is one that is mostly dependent on rainfall, or at least has seasonal exposure to another source of water (overtopping of streams and rivers etc.). They are water bodies that do not dry up. A permanent water body is one that only shows slight seasonal variation in water level and one that retains most of its volume throughout the year. Both types of water body support their own aquatic faunal and floral communities. Perennial water bodies tend to have self-sustaining fish populations and may be semi-choked with aquatic weeds. Permanent water bodies tend to have less emergent vegetation and may require stocking with fish.

A perennial water body approximately 15 km outside of B. Na Phong, Sangthong District, December 2011
A permanent water body at B. Na Teum, Sangthong District, December 2011
A privately owned put and take fishery at B. Tao Hai, Sangthong District, December 2011

Permanent and perennial water bodies

Pumping water bodies dry at the end of the dry season and clearing out all harvestable fish, including predatory fish prior to stocking the following wet season should be considered. This operation might be carried out every three to five years and not every year.

Agree on a good stocking ratio for commonly raised exotic species.

Agree on a practical nursery program (raising newly purchased fish in nylon hapas for one month to six weeks prior to release).

Using whatever methods possible and practical, agree on ways to stimulate and maintain primary productivity in the water body.

Agree on some type of policing system and attempt to stimulate a sense of community ownership. Discourage human theft and highlight the social implications of such actions if apprehended.

Agree on ways to prevent the use of illegal fishing methods (signs and penalties for offenders).

Agree on what is to be the harvesting regime; a payment to catch fish, hold community “fishing days”, only catch fish for special occasions such as weddings, limit the number and type of gears that can be used etc. (regulate the fishing effort). All rules must be decided by village committees or NTFPCG members etc.

Possible introduction of a licensing system to generate revenue to be re-cycled back into maintenance and up keep of the fishery.