Fishing vessels. (Photo: Salahuddin66/CC BY-SA 3.0)

Fish production boosted to reach self-sufficiency in two years

BANGLADESH
Monday, August 22, 2016, 11:20 (GMT + 9)

Bangladesh authorities have the intention to increase the cuntry's fish production rate in order to attain self-sufficiency in the fisheries sector in the next two years.

The announcement was made by fisheries minister Sayedul Haq at the opening of a two-day workshop on fisheries research planning held by Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI), The Financial Express reported.

At the workshop -- called Draw-up of a annual fisheries research planning for 2016-17 -- the minister also commented that against the annual demand for 4.2 million tonnes, the current production volume in Bangladesh was estimated to be 3.85 million tonnes in 2015-2016.

Besides, according to statistics from UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Bangladesh is placed in the fourth position in terms of aquatic production after China, India and Thailand. According to the report The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014, Bangladesh produced about 3.49 million tonnes of fish, from which 2 million tonnes came from aquaculture. 

The experts and officials attending the workshop attributed the enhanced production to innovation and to the implementation of technology on fish breeding, culture and management. In this regard, the Department of Fisheries was praised for its efforts to encourage farmers to use this new technology.

These technological advances include poly-culture of koi with shing and tilapia, seed production of endangered tengra, parse breeding and seed production, early brood production of golda and hygienic dry fish production.

Further projects announced to boost the fisheries sector are the creation of fishery diploma institutes in Gopalganj, Kishoreganj and Sirajganj, the development of fisheries structures for supply of quality fish seed and fry, fishermen enlistment and ID card distribution, integrated agricultural productivity, sweet water shrimp farming expansion, fish farming development and expansion, ‘Beel Nursery’ establishment in open water and expansion.

Other plans to be set up are a society-based fish farming at Nimgachhi, fish development in Rangpur division, brood bank establishment, kuchia and crab farming in selected areas and research, fish farming development in greater Jessore district, strengthening fishery and aquaculture food safety and quality management system in Bangladesh.

The Government ensured that other asñpects to be considered are climate resilient ecosystem and livelihoods, enhancing aquaculture production for food security and rural development through better seed and feed production, fish farming technology expansion at union, fishery resource development in greater Comilla, boosting fish production through renovation of wetlands and enhanced coastal fisheries project. 

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