Why Mangroves Are Critical to Aquatic Food Systems
In the Sundarbans, where the Raimangal River winds through the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest, a fisher couple steers a small wooden boat through narrow tidal creeks, setting baited drop-hook lines known locally as don, often within Bengal tiger territory.
In the Sundarbans, where the Raimangal River winds through the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest, a fisher couple steers a small wooden boat through narrow tidal creeks, setting baited drop-hook lines known locally as don, often within Bengal tiger territory. Their catch may include mud crabs, fish and shrimp, providing both income and essential household nutrition. For thousands of people living across the delta’s islands, this is part of daily life. Fishing follows the tides and draws on inherited knowledge, but the productivity of these fisheries ultimately depends on the health of the surrounding mangrove ecosystem.