The Enhanced Coastal Fisheries in Bangladesh II (ECOFISH II) project is a 5-year initiative funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Jointly implemented by WorldFish and the Department of Fisheries (DoF), ECOFISH II builds upon the previous ECOFISH project (2014–2019) focusing on hilsa shad production in the Meghna River ecosystem. ECOFISH II aims to mitigate the impacts on natural resources and fishing communities along the Teknaf–Cox’s Bazar peninsula from the influx of over a million Rohingya refugees. It also seeks to alleviate the effects of the Naf River fishing ban on host communities in Teknaf.
The project is scaling up lessons learned from the previous project while expanding interventions to improve the livelihoods of fishing communities and enhance biodiversity conservation in the artisanal fisheries of the Bay of Bengal. Ongoing conservation activities in the lower Meghna sanctuaries and the improved management of the Nijhum Dwip Marine Protected Area (MPA) remain integral to the project.The main objective of this study is to collect and analyze the impact of project interventions on the social and ecological resilience of coastal fisheries, and the food, nutrition, and income benefits for fishing communities in the ZOR and MPA areas, based on the set indicators. WorldFish awarded dRi the contract for this endline study. dRi conducted 1,232 surveys with artisanal fishers, in which 616 surveys were in treatment villages and 616 were in control villages. Additionally, dRi conducted 20 FGDs, 5 IDIs, and 20 KIIs.
Serial No: 273
Theme: Food Security and Nutrition
Research Method: Mixed Method
Partner: WorldFish
Starting Year: 2024
Study Area: Cox’s Bazar, Noakhali, Patuakhali, Bhola
