In the Gulf of Mottama area, you can find vast mud flats, grassy plains, tidal forests, and river and ocean waters. These habitats provide services that are important for local communities and for global biodiversity. These services include agricultural land, habitat for fish and crabs that are important for local livelihoods, and habitat for endangered species – including the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, a migratory shorebird that visits the Gulf all the way from Siberia. The Gulf of Mottama Project works to conduct research on these natural resources, to build capacity for natural resource research, and to develop approaches for the sustainable co-management of these resources.
GoMP’s research activities on local natural resources include:
Fisheries catch data collection: Our Fisheries Officer is collecting records of mud crab and fish catch from selected areas in Kyaikhto, continuing work that has been conducted in previous years. The zoology departments from Mawlamyine University and Bago University are preparing to collect catch data from fishing communities in Chaungzon, Thanatpin, and Kawa townships. This information is critical for guiding fisheries management, as well as for starting to understand the market chain for fisheries products.
Surveys of the Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper: BANCA conducts annual surveys of the shorebirds and waterbirds in the Gulf of Mottama, with special attention paid to the Spoon-billed Sandpiper. BANCA’s past work on this species has been important to bringing attention to the importance of the Gulf as a remarkable area of global conservation importance.
Surveys of mud flat habitat: A team from Mawlamyine University’s Department of Marine Science has been studying the diversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates in the mud flats of the Gulf. These invertebrates are important food for birds and for species that are caught in local fisheries.
Surveys of fisheries habitat: Another team from Mawlamyine University’s Department of Marine Science has been studying the spawning grounds for important fisheries species in the Sittaung River, working to identify important habitat and spawning seasons.
Initial research on marine mammals: Recent documentation of finless porpoises, and recently collected anecdotes of Irrawaddy dolphin sightings, indicate that there are marine mammals in the coastal area and riverine waters of the Gulf. Point B Design + Training is working with IUCN and BANCA to interview fishers about these animals and will start boat-based surveys later this year.
Socioeconomic research on local communities: Point B Design + Training and IUCN have previously conducted research on the social side of mud crab fisheries in four Gulf of Mottama communities. The Geography Department at Bago University is preparing to conduct research on the impacts of erosion on coastal communities of Bago.
We have future research planned on mangroves, mud flat grassland habitats, the social interactions connected to market chains, and the impact of our project on communities (assessed through participatory monitoring and evaluation). Research is a vital foundation for informed management. GoMP is working with stakeholders to develop ways to communicate this research information to communities and decision-makers, and to develop a way to apply this information to management and conservation in practice. A major part of this is the Gulf of Mottama Coastal Natural Resource Management Plan (CNRMP), developed through three consultations with stakeholders, including community members, government officials, the private sector, and local universities. This plan serves integrates local livelihoods, policy and action plan development, capacity-building for local research and management, and resource management and conservation. It is a guide for the future management of the Gulf of Mottama’s natural resources, including the development of focused, local conservation and management action plans.
With strong research, effective communication, and thoughtful planning that includes communities, government, universities, and the private sector, we hope that the beautiful and valuable habitats of the Gulf of Mottama can be sustained for many generations into the future – for the benefit of local communities and for nature lovers around the world.