Of the three strategies available for managing common property resources (CPR)—centralized control, privatization and local management—this essay focuses on the last, which has proven quite effective in various settings throughout the Third World, with the key to success being local ability to control access to the resource. The major factors at issue in the Sundarbans situation are: historically external pressure on the forest; currently dense population in adjacent areas; a land distribution even more unequal than the norm in Bangladesh; and (...) a decentralized local government structure initiated in the mid-1980s. The first three factors have encouraged the local population to view this CRP as a frontier to be exploited,rather than as a resource to be preservedfor sustained yield. Thus to the extent that the new local government structure proves to be democratic and responsive to popular needs, it would most likely accelerate destruction of the Sundarbans, using the area as a cheap and easy way to provide some livelihood to the rural poor and landless. Accordingly, decentralization cannot be a viable strategy for preserving this unique forest resource; only a strong central control can ensure its survival into the next century. (shrink)

The Sundarbans represent the largest remaining tract of coastal mangrove wetlands in tropical Asia. The dynamics of the fish communities are poorly understood, and current research indicates a fragile ecology. Various development projects have had serious negative impacts on the estuarine fishes in nearby parts of Bangladesh. Impacts on the fisheries tend to affect the poorest elements of the society, the landless subsistence fishermen. The record of development assistance agencies is poor, with respect to the environment in general and fisheries (...) in particular. Taking steps to rectify the problem would include environmental review of projects prior to and during project implementation. Given the lack of a pure research base in the tropics, applied research is often modeled on temperate systems, which can be disastrous. Thus, it is also suggested that basic research on the environment be supported in order to build an understanding of tropical ecosystems prior to any attempts at manipulation of these ecosystems. (shrink)