Wetlands are highly productive areas that support the millions of poor livelihoods worldwide. Community based fisheries resources management has been practiced in a number of projects around the world. Baikka Beel - an oxbow lake in the eastern part of Hail Haor, one of the largest wetlands of north-east Bangladesh, is situated in Sreemongal. MACH project has ensured the management of the sanctuary by involving the local community at all stages in planning and implementation. Thus, Baikka Beel has received a special auspices as a permanent sanctuary and protected through a regional Resource Management Organization. The sanctuary, being the largest spawning area of the Hail Haor, has shown positive impacts on tourism, biodiversity and aquatic ecology increasing fish catches through the protection of parent stocks. Baikka Beel provides benefits to wetland environment, community, wildlife and fisheries sector very successfully. Local people get employment opportunity in sanctuary maintenance and an extra income by acting as guides and guards. The key lesson from the management experiences of Baikka Beel is not the wetlands protection and restoration, but how this can be made palmy.