The Project was designed as an action research project to test and assess alternative models of government-NGO-fisher collaboration for the management of inland fisheries of Bangladesh. Following from two earlier projects entitled ¿Experiments on New and Improved Management of Openwater Fisheries¿ (1987-1990) and ¿Improved Management of Openwater Fisheries¿ (1991-1994), the emphasis in the current CBFM project is to develop a framework for community-based fisheries management, and to ensure more sustainable exploitation of openwater fish resources for future generations.