Alifa has created a platform for research-based conservation actions collaborating with local fishers and traders to fill the dearth of knowledge on sharks and rays in Bangladesh and initiating actions for mitigating impacts. She launched a collaborative project involving fishers in knowledge co-creation and decision-making, which is socially just and environmentally sound. Since 2021, 10 fishing vessels voluntarily collect spatial data using a mobile app. This endeavor is a pilot for the technological innovation “FishSafe,” an audio-visual device to record by-catch events at sea. Since 2023, 05 fishing vessels are piloting this technology. Fishers are incentivized by access to communication with other boats and land in the absence of mobile networks at sea. This will also act as a non-monetary and sustainable incentive to initiate an organized live release and self-regulated catch monitoring.
Alifa Bintha Haque
Marine biologist focused on sustainable fisheries and conserving sharks and rays in the Bay of Bengal