The fisheries and aquaculture sub-sector is vital for food security, income generation and export earnings for Bangladesh and many other coastal countries. However, the sustainability of this important sub-sector depends on the responsible management of aquatic resources and ecosystems that support replenishment of fisheries stock. Many species of fish occupying inland and marine waters of Bangladesh are dependent on interaction with mangroves in many ways. Their interactions are multifaceted, dynamic processes involving both inland and marine waters, forests, tidal regimes, geology and soils, climate and its changes, and the biotic components of the relevant ecosystems.

The fisheries-mangrove interactions also include the aspects of forestry tied to customary resource extraction by the coastal community and to the country’s development needs. Thus, the responsible management of fisheries and aquaculture resources and the ecosystems upon which this important sub-sector depends has been a major challenge that needs to be addressed with empirically derived knowledge from south Asia and elsewhere. To this end, this symposium is intended to be a premier international forum to highlight global best practices on sustainable fisheries and forestry resource management and to facilitate partnerships and cooperation with academia, practitioner, industry, and policymakers.