(01) The Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) of Bangladesh was created in 1984 as the national institute in the broad research fields of fisheries and aquaculture, including the fresh, brackish, and marine environments. The mandate of FRI is to assist in the relevant objectives of the nation's Third Five Year Plan for development (1985 – 1989), viz. increase of fish production for domestic consumption and for export purposes, and creation of more sustainable job opportunities in the fisheries sector. It is generally expected, that the mandate will be extended during subsequent Five Year Plan periods.
(02) FRI was expected to fulfill its mandate by:
(03) The development of FRI is assisted through a IDA/WB loan in the framework of the Agricultural Research II Project. UNDP/FAO provides a Technical Assistance component as an integral part of the project. The project prepared a number of technical reports, which cover the fields mentioned under (02), and also provides assistance in research implementation.
(04) Priority needs have been identified in the Fisheries Research Masterplan (TA-report 10). This Masterplan was approved both by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and by FRI's Board of Governors.
(05) Implementation of research was carried out through:
(06) Training of scientists was carried out through day-to-day assistance in research preparation and implementation, and through identification of manpower development plans in TA-reports 06 and 10.
(07) Co-ordination of research has been stimulated at various levels: at the national level (in project preparation and implementation) with the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) and other universities, and at regional level through the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia (NACA). International co-operation in specific research areas is planned and will be discussed and initiated through visits of the Director FRI to sister-institutes in the region and in Europe.
(08) Extension of results to its users is still in its infancy: research implementation was initiated recently, and definite conclusions of applied research require 2 – 3 seasons (years). Yet a start was made in transfer of knowledge to extension workers and farmers, mainly through (assistance to) training courses and through preparation of brochures. Transfer of knowledge to policy-makers is planned in the form of a national workshop on fisheries development strategies in the winter of 1987 – 1988. A comprehensive plan for extension of research results was presented in TA-report 06.
(09) The objectives of FRI as outlined in (04) to (08) have been attained, and the Institute's initial planning phase came to an end and full-fledged implementation of research started in the course of 1986 – 1987. This does not mean, however, that no further planning is needed: the fisheries sector is dynamic by its very nature. New problems will appear that ask for priority research, whereas identification of solutions for existing problems sometimes is no longer warranted. Other problems may be solved through research elsewhere (in other similar countries). Therefore, a continuous process of assessing of priorities is a necessity. Since such a process proceeds far beyond the level of individual researchers, research stations, and sometimes even institutes (financial policies and/or international agreements might be involved), an “External Monitoring” system is called for. Chapter 2 of the present report deals with this process and provides suggestions for external monitoring for the research activities of FRI.
(10) FRI itself requires another monitoring process, i.e. “Internal Monitoring”. This process does not evaluate the topics of research themselves, but it reviews progress towards the workplans. Internal monitoring aims at systematic analysis of the efficiency and scientific quality of each individual research activity. Chapter 3 of the present report deals with this process, and includes suggestions for such an internal monitoring system for FRI.
(11) Monitoring is generally considered a cumbersome activity. Yet, this is a neccesity to ensure optimal allocation of scarce research resources. A constant feedback to planners, both externally and internally, is necessary to see whether the research still addresses the objectives of the country's development plan, as well as the objectives of the institute. It is recommended to adopt a very strong and especially very consequent monitoring scheme in FRI to ensure sustainable fisheries research in Bangladesh.
