Irrawaddy Dolphin
Irrawaddy dolphins live in marine and freshwater of Myanmar. They can be sighted in both coastal areas and Ayeyawady River. The Ayeyawady River is formerly known as Irrawaddy River and the name Irrawaddy Dolphin was taken from this river.
Castnet fishing with the help of Irrawaddy dolphins in upper reaches of the Ayeyawady River is a unique of Myanmar. Dolphins help castnet fishermen by driving fish towards the castnet fishing boat. Dolphins and castnet fishermen communicate by audio and visual signals during the fishing. Only those dolphins lived in Kyaukmyaung and Mandalay segment, about 72km, know the technique and help castnet fishermen. It is a kind of human-wildlife mutualism.
The First Scientific Study on The Cooperative Fishing between The Irrawaddy Dolphins and Castnet Fishermen in Myanmar
I studied this fishing in 2004 and submitted my reports to the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2004 and 2005. It was the first scientific study ever done on the cooperative fishing between the Irrawaddy dolphin and castnet fishermen. Studies were funded by the Wildlife Conservation Society.
You can download my reports in pdf by just click on the titles below (not on the cover pages, pls). You can also download a poster concerned with sound signals used in this castnet fishing from the Poster page. If you can not download the following reports, feel free to ask me to send them to you. You are welcome and thank you for your interest.
Title: Irrawaddy dolphins in Hsithe-Mandalay segment of the Ayeyawady River and cooperative fishing between Irrawaddy dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris, and cast-net fishermen in Myanmar. (1920kb)
This is the first scientific study ever done on the castnet fishing with Irrawaddy dolphins in Myanmar. Fishing technique has been described in detail in this report.
Title: Castnet fisheries in cooperation with Irrawaddy dolphins (Ayeyawady dolphins) at Hsithe, Myitkangyi and Myayzun villages, Mandalay Division, in Myanmar. (1164kb)
Comparative studies on castnet fishing with or without dolphins has been described in this report. This report is also the first of its kind in studying castnet fishing in Myanmar.