Visitors to South-East Asia are usually astonished at the profusion of marine life that exists in this biodiversity hot-spot. Reef Fishes of South-East Asia is a comprehensive and easy-to-follow guide to this rich diversity. Covering the waters off the coasts of Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines, this compact book, illustrated with vibrant colour photographs, is an essential companion for anyone interested in the undersea world, from the casual snorkeller to the most experienced diver. It includes concise descriptions of 270 species of fish, corals and invertebrates, accompanied by 300 full-colour photographs, and information on habitat, diet and behaviour. Clear line drawings are provided for quick identification of fish families, and a short introduction covers reef conservation and practical tips to help you get the most out of your visit to the region.

Mudskippers are amphibious fishes native to the Indo-West Pacific and tropical western Africa. Unlike most fishes, mudskippers emerse to forage, find mates, and defend territories. Adaptations to their morphology, physiology and behavior enable mudskippers to accommodate both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. For these traits, mudskippers have long captured the fascination of scientists, naturalists, and fish hobbyists. Some mudskipper taxa (e.g. Periophthalmodon spp., Periophthalmus spp., Boleophthalmus spp.) are readily observed on mudflats and mangrove forests during the ebb tide. Correspondingly, these conspicuous and widespread taxa are relatively well-studied. The autecology and basic biology for the remaing taxa (e.g. Apocryptodon spp. and Oxuderces spp.) are still poorly understood. Fishes Out of Water: Biology and Ecology of Mudskippers is the first comprehensive book to synthesize published scientific information and observation on these fishes. Two dozen subject experts present thorough overviews in fifteen distinct chapters. Contents span mudskipper anatomy, distribution, systematics, physiology, ecology, and conservation. Unique adaptations to terrestriality are discussed within the context of each chapter foci. This authoritative reference equips the reader with the basic foundation to understand mudskipper biology and ecology, while providing a framework in which emerging data are discussed. The book will be of interest to a broad range of students, researchers, and professionals in ichthyology, evolution, ecology, animal behavior, and comparative physiology.

This field guide covers the major resource groups likely to be encountered in the fisheries of Myanmar. This includes stomatopods, shrimps, lobsters, crabs, bivalves, gastropods, brachiopods, sea cucumbers, cephalopods, sharks, batoids and bony fishes. Each resource group is introduced by a general section on technical terms and measurements pertinent to that group and an illustrated guide to orders and families of the group. The more important species are treated in detail with accounts providing scientific nomenclature, FAO names in English and French (where available), local names used in Myanmar, diagnostic features, one or more illustrations, maximum size, and notes on fisheries and habitat. Colour plates for a large number of the species are included. The guide is fully indexed and a list of further literature is appended.

Stephen Spotte, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida, USA Tarpons arose from an ancient lineage, and just two species exist today, confined to the tropics and subtropics: Megalops atlanticus in the western and eastern Atlantic and Megalops cyprinoides distributed widely across the Indo-West Pacific. The Atlantic tarpon is considered king of the saltwater sport fishes and supports a multi-billion dollar recreational fishery in the U.S. alone. The Pacific tarpon, which is much smaller, is less valued by anglers. Both have limited commercial value but offer considerable potential for future aquaculture because of their hardiness, rapid growth, and ease of adaptation to captivity. This book is the latest and most thorough text on the biology, ecology, and fisheries (sport and commercial) of tarpons. The chapters comprise clear, intricate discourses on such subjects as early development and metamorphosis, population genetics, anatomical and physiological features and adaptations, migrations, reproductive biology, and culminate with a concise overview of the world's tarpon fisheries. A comprehensive appendix includes Spotte's original translations of important papers published previously by others in Spanish and Portuguese and unavailable until now to English readers. Tarpons: Biology, Ecology, Fisheries will be of considerable interest and use to fishery and research biologists, marine conservationists, aquaculturists, and informed anglers

This book provides a detailed evaluation of the hydro-ecological characteristics of the Western Balkans, an area characterized by still preserved inland waters and fish resources important for the European continent, as well as the biodiversity of inland waters important for the planet Earth. Freshwater ecosystems cover only 1% of the Earth's surface; however, they are a habitat for about 40% of fish species. At the same time, inland fisheries make less than 12% of the world's global fish catch, with 43% coming from low-income and food-deficient countries (Africa, South America, Southeast Asia). In Europe, the Western Balkans have significant fishing waters and fish resources, including the Middle Danube drainage (Sava, Drina, Velika Morava river systems), large ancient lakes (Skadar/Shkodra, Ohrid, Prespa, Dojran), and the Adriatic basin characterized by endemic and commercially important species. However, in contrast to the high fishing potential in a significant part of the Western Balkans, diverse and specific political, economic, and social factors largely had a negative impact on the state of fish resources. This volume is multidisciplinary and provides a sound knowledge base for scientific and practical fisheries. In addition, it may be a valuable guide for managers and conservationists worldwide to adapt methods and procedures for the ecological sustainability of fish resources under specific local, natural, and socio-economic conditions. Finally, the content is a good reference for natural sciences and agriculture students studying fish, fish resources, and fisheries sciences. It would improve their knowledge and perspectives on the challenges of sustainable use and conservation of inland water resources.

World Bank Discussion Paper No. 337. Draws on household survey data from 87 rural villages in Bangladesh to examine the contribution that government family planning programs, as well as other health care interventions, have made toward the recent reduction in fertility by increasing contraceptive use and reducing infant mortality. The paper suggests that the programs have been effective and finds that targeted credit program placement, such as the Grameen Bank and the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), contributed to the effort as well.

Among the fishes. a remarkably wide range ofbiological adaptations to diverse habitats has evolved. As weIl as living in the conventional habitats of lakes. ponds. rivers. rock pools and the open sea. fish have solved the problems of life in deserts. in the deep sea. in the cold Antarctic. and in warm waters of high alkalinity or of low oxygen. Along with these adaptations. we find the most impressive specializations of morphology. physiology and behaviour. For example we can marvel at the high-speed swimming of the marlins. sailfish and warm-blooded tunas. air breathing in catfish and lungfish. parental care in the mouth-brooding cichlids and viviparity in many sharks and toothcarps. Moreover. fish are of considerable importance of the survival of the human species in the form ofnutritious and delicious food ofnumerous kinds. Rational exploitation and management of our global stocks of fishes must rely upon a detailed and precise insight of their biology. The Chapman and Hall Fish and Fisheries Series aims to present timely volumes reviewing important aspects of fish biology. Most volumes will be of interest to research workers in biology. zoology. ecology and physiology. but an additional aim is for the books to be accessible to a wide spectrum of non specialist readers ranging from undergraduates and postgraduates to those with an interest in industrial and commercial aspects of fish and fisheries.

Besides the erroneous assumption that tropical fisheries are ‘open access’, the cases demonstrate that pre-existing systems (1) are concerned with the community of fishers and ensuring community harmony and continuity; (2) involve flexible, multiple and overlapping rights adapted to changing needs and circumstances; (3) that fisheries are just one component of a community resource assemblage and depend on both the good management of linked upstream ecosystems and risk management to ensure balanced nutritional resources of the community; and (4) pre-existing systems are greatly affected by a constellation of interacting external pressures.

Freshwater Fishes of the Eastern Himalayas provides a guide to describe the internationally accepted methods used in the accurate identification of fishes, morphometry, i.e., body proportions, meristics, i.e., counts of countable characters, viz., scales, fin rays, pores, vertebrae etc., characters of bones wherever necessary, special characters, viz., serrations of fin spines, axillary lobes, lobes, color patterns, etc. All the available taxa of the region are covered, making this an essential reference that provides the original description of genera and species. Diagnostic characters in the book can be easily examined by an unaided eye or by a binocular dissecting microscope with transmitted light. - Provides diagnostic characters which are unique for a species or a combination of characters to differentiate each species from its congeners - Includes both verbal and technical aspects, along with color illustrations of the particular part of the fish showing the distinguishing character - Presents diagnostic characters, illustrations or images of the fish and of its parts, showing the unique character and distribution to make it easy for species identification