1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
2. RECOMMENDATIONS
Fisheries plays an important role in the social and economic life of Bangladesh. It contributes 4.7 per cent to the GDP of the country while providing full-time employment to approximately 1.2 million people. In addition, a very large number of people are engaged in subsistence fishing and in activities related to the fisheries sector. Fish provides 80 per cent of the animal protein intake of the people of Bangladesh. It is also a major earner of foreign exchange, contributing about 10 per cent of the total export earnings, ranking third in terms of importance after the garment and leather sectors.
The fisheries sector in Bangladesh is faced with a peculiar dilemma. On the one hand, fisheries is seen. as an opportunity, a way to provide the people of Bangladesh protein at a reasonable price, to generate employment and enterprise which, in turn, will alleviate poverty, to increase earnings of much-needed foreign exchange and contribute to the economy. On the other hand, the fisheries sector faces a crisis. Several fisheries, particularly in the inshore marine, estuarine and inland open water sectors, are under stress because of overfishing, environmental and habitat degradation, and uncoordinated, multiple use of water bodies. Inland, freshwater aquaculture and coastal brackishwater aquaculture are facing infrastructural, environmental and socio-economic hurdles that constrain increased production. The key issue confronting the sector is how to simultaneously increase production and manage fisheries and aquaculture to ensure sustainability and profitability.
The Government of Bangladesh, concerned about the welfare of its people and of the resources that sustain them, has committed itself to protect and conserve the aquatic resources of the country and the environments in which they live, while seeking sustainable ways of exploiting the resources to maximally benefit the population. To this end, the Government has drawn up a draft Perspective Development Plan for the period 1995-2010 to give direction to the fisheries sector and its development.
The goal of the fisheries development strategy set forth in the perspective plan is "to increase production of fish, manage and conserve fisheries resources to sustain benefits to present and future generations, to encourage private enterprises, increase overall economic growth, and generate employment and incomes, particularly for the rural poor and unemployed youth of Bangladesh".
The Government of Bangladesh recognize the importance of the fisheries sector to the national economy and the need for a well-articulated national strategy to achieve the goal it has set for itself. The main objectives of this strategic plan are to develop and strengthen fisheries research, development, management, coordination and extension activities to:
- Increase fish production and improve the nutrition of the people. Generate employment opportunities in fisheries and ancillary industries.- Improve the socio-economic conditions of fishers, fish farmers and others engaged in the fisheries sector.
- Increase exports and contribution to the GDP. Improve environmental conditions and public health.
- Improve the biological and institutional management mechanisms for judicious use of fisheries resources.
- Ensure sustainable development of fisheries resources. Ensure the quality of fish and fish products.
The Government of Bangladesh, committed to the development of the fisheries sector and to the conservation and sustainability of the fisheries resources, hopes to address these tasks through a multi-pronged strategy:
- Reorganizing and restructuring the Department of Fisheries (DOF), the Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) and other related government agencies to rationalize, improve and amplify their performance.- Strengthening government organizations concerned with fisheries.
- Focussing limited manpower and resources on tasks and responsibilities that have to be done by government; and encouraging the private sector, fishers, fish farmers and other governmental and non-governmental organizations to take responsibility for and participate in the development and management of the sector.
- Encouraging participation of fishers, fish farmers and all other stakeholders in the management of fisheries and aquaculture, thus giving them ownership in the task and also reducing costs to the government by transferring the costs of enforcement to the concerned stakeholders.
- Strengthening planning at all levels to give direction to fisheries development and management.
- Co-ordinating, within and among government and non-governmental agencies concerned with fisheries development and management, to reduce duplication of effort and to overcome hurdles posed by complex multi-user, multi-jurisdiction situations.
- Strengthening conservation and management of resources by developing sustainable technologies, tapping untapped and under-utilized resources, reducing post-harvest waste, and adding value to fish and fish products.
In 1994, the UNDP and FAO, at the request of the Government of Bangladesh, developed a proposal for development of the fisheries sector. This study, which learned from the situation prevailing in the sector and from similar exercises undertaken by the World Bank, proposed several investment and technical assistance projects to develop the sector.
The Government of Bangladesh, in order to prioritize the proposals of the UNDP/FAO effort and to develop clear guidelines and strategies to address the problems and concerns of the sector, decided to bring together at a national workshop representatives of the government, non-government, private sector, research, university personnel, fishers and fish farmers, donor and technical assistance agencies. The workshop, organized by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, was sponsored by the FAO and the ODA (UK). The workshop was organized around nine invited papers which addressed the situations, needs and concerns of the various aspects of the fisheries sector. The workshop, held at the Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka, from 29-October - 1 November, 1995, brought together 125 participants. The meeting was inaugurated by Mr Abdullah-al-Noman, Minister of Fisheries and Livestock, Government of Bangladesh.
After thorough discussion, the workshop recommended the following guidelines, priorities and actions for the consideration of agencies concerned with the fisheries sector.
2.1 Potentials, constraints and strategies for conservation and management of inland openwater fisheries in Bangladesh
- In view of the positive results achieved in terms of production increases from the stock enhancement programme during the last few years, continue and strengthen the programme to ensure distribution of accrued benefits to the target group i.e., the fishermen.- Reclaim and rehabilitate silted and/or derelict aquatic habitats, including haors, baors, beels, dead rivers, canals and ponds, etc.
- Protect and manage fishery resources, including fry and fingerlings, by application of fish conservation regulations through participatory community-based management systems.
- Establish permanent sanctuaries for broodstock and fry in openwater habitats.
- Control aquatic pollution and conserve and protect the fisheries environment.
- Implement management measures to sustain the Hilsa fishery.
2.2 Potentials, constraints and strategies for conservation and management of open brackishwater and marine fishery resources
- Withdraw the estuarine set bagnet (ESBN), in phases, and rehabilitate the affected fishermen by expanding the operations of trammelnet, bottom longline and marine set bagnet (MSBN) fisheries and by providing them other gainful employment.- Stop, in phases, operation of large mesh drift gillnets in shallow waters and beach seines in estuaries.
- Expand trammelnet, bottom longline and marine set bagnet fisheries to ensure utilization of the untapped marine resources through artisanal fishermen.
- Take measures to explore and exploit pelagic fisheries like tuna, mackerel, sardines and cephalopods.
- Protect the critical marine resources around St. Martin's Island and set up a marine park there with marine research facilities.
2.3 Freshwater aquaculture: Potentials, constraints and management needs for sustainable development
- Bring all unconventional water bodies, such as FCD/FCDI area, burrowpits and road-side canals under aquaculture, with particular emphasis on community involvement.- Integrate fish culture with paddy cultivation and livestock farming.
- Bring all ponds under improved aquaculture by the year 2000.
- Encourage establishment of open-system and closed-system galda hatcheries and networks of nurseries in the farming areas.
- Establish, in potential unions, facilities for production of fingerlings of various suitable species in order to ensure availability of large-size fingerlings close to the farm and obviate the risk of mortality and stress resulting from long- distance transportation.
- Ensure quality of broodstock and seed in hatcheries through motivation and regulations.
- Undertake an inventory of union-wise culturable water bodies, their development needs and prevalent culture techniques.
2.4 Brackishwater and marinewater aquaculture: Potentials, constraints and management needs for sustainable development
- Formulate coastal land-use policy, classify and demarcate lands into various zones (based on their tidal inundation, soil qualities and water salinities), into various zones and assign these zones for one or more most suitable uses, in order to avoid inter-sectoral and social conflicts.- Promote diversified, improved extensive culture systems to suit various environmental conditions and farmers' backgrounds, with production upto 1000 kg/ha/yr of tiger shrimp, taking into account environmental preservation and the need for crop rotation.
- Establish marine shrimp hatcheries under a crash programme with arrangements to ensure broodstock collection from the sea and development of broodstock farms.
- Formulate and create polder-specific development plans with appropriate water supply and drainage networks.
- Stress demonstration and extension of galda and bagda shrimp corresponding to various environmental zones.
- Reduce wastage of wild fry of bagda shrimp through better handling and transportation. Ensure unhindered seaward breeding mitigation of pre-adult bagda shrimp from estuarine rivers.
- Protect galda and bagda shrimp breeding grounds and ban trawling in those grounds during the peak breeding season.
- Ban destruction of mangroves and encourage mangrove plantation on the strip of land between the pond dykes and the river.
- Establish shrimp health laboratories at field levels.
- Exempt tax on imported aquaculture equipment, feed ingredients, chemicals and other relevant items.
2.5 Strategy for integrated management of land and water in FCDI Projects with focus on fisheries development
- Ensure fisheries mitigational measures in all FCD/FCDI projects.- Modify or adjust water control structure projects and other larger enclosed areas to facilitate natural recruitment of fish and shellfish.
- Maintain a sill level of 1-1.5m above the driest beel water sill level in the drainage channels of perennial beels in water management projects, to facilitate the timely spawning of beel-resident fish species.
2.6 Research and information needs for fisheries development and management
- Develop GIS and eco-region specific aquaculture practices.- Develop low-cost balanced feeds for various fish and shrimp.
- Develop breeding and culture techniques for endangered species.
- Undertake genetic research for improvement of fish and shrimp stocks.
- Develop appropriate techniques for seed production and culture of marine finfish, shellfish and seaweeds.
- Develop appropriate techniques for nursery management, handling and transportation of fingerlings.
- Assess and conserve aquatic biodiversity.
- Undertake stock assessment of demersal and pelagic fish.
- Undertake studies on oceanography and marine productivity.
- Establish fisheries research laboratories in all divisional headquarters.
- Undertake socioeconomic studies of fishing/farming communities.
- Study migratory behaviour of fish and shellfish in inland waters.
- Undertake studies on environmental impact of shrimp culture.
- Conduct culture research on diversified shrimp species.
2.7 Financing of culture and capture fisheries, processing and marketing offish, shrimp and other aquatic resources in Bangladesh
- Strengthen capacity of banks and NGOs through technical assistance, training and guarantee arrangements to provide credit to fisheries sector in a demand-oriented and financially viable manner.- Consider introduction of special credit lines for diversification of fishing efforts to trammelnet fishing and shrimp-cum-fish trawling.
- Consider introduction of special credit lines for upgrading fish processing plants for value-added fisheries products and for shrimp hatcheries.
- Strengthen credit schemes for alternative livelihood programmes for fisherfolk outside the fisheries sector.
- Promote supervised and non-collateral-based credit programmes for artisanal, traditional fisherfolk supported by extension services and technology inputs.
- Actively involve NGOs in credit programmes for poor fisherfolk, especially rural women, in aquaculture activities.
- Link credit programmes with insurance converage for fisheries activities, particularly aquaculture.
- Ensure availability of supervised credit, without collateral, along with technology.
2.8 Legal, regulatory and institutional framework for fisheries and fishing community development and management
- Reorganize and strengthen DOF, FRI, Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) and other fisheries agencies to improve their institutional performance and the quality of their services to people.- Delegate appropriate administrative and financial functions and responsibilities to field officers, where such decentralization of responsibility can improve the administrative efficiency of the DOE
- Depute a Magistrate for fisheries matters to enforce fisheries acts, ordinances and management measures.
- Transfer management responsibility of all government-owned waterbodies, including khas lands suitable for aquaculture, to the DOR Evolve legislation/regulations to transfer aquatic resources ownership/user-rights to appropriate community decision units, to empower stakeholders to participate in management processes.
- Safeguard the interests of poor fishing communities by widely implementing the New Fisheries Management Policy.
- Expand the jurisdiction mandate and coverage of the 1983 Fisheries Ordinance to include fisheries within the 50 m depth, that is. inshore or nearshore fisheries.
- Promote more participatory law enforcement.
- Strengthen fisheries extension services of the DOF to facilitate and enable the promotion of aquaculture in a sustainable and equitable manner as well as participatory fisheries management by involving all the stakeholders.
- Establish within the Department of Fisheries, a Human Resources Development/Training Section to undertake manpower planning and training and provide support to enhance the capacity of the staff to better carry out the mandate of the Department.
- Strengthen collaboration and coordination between government and all other agencies, including universities, NGOs, research and development agencies and the private sector.
- Strengthen training programmes for farmers, scientists, extension officers, planners and administrators.
2.9 Quality assurance and marketing offish and fish products: Needs for infrastructure and legal support
- Establish modern fish landing centres/shrimp service centres with preservation and distribution facilities in fish/shrimp landing zones to reduce post-harvest losses.- Introduce cold-chains all along the fish marketing system, from catching to export/final consumption, to ensure the quality of the products.
- Standardize and upgrade fishing fleets to improve the quality of the harvested fish and shrimp.
- Strengthen the organizational set-up of the FIQC wing of DOF, to meet international requirements and standards, and modernize the existing Quality Control Laboratories on a priority basis.
- Introduce HACCP/FDA system in all phases, from harvesting to exporting of shrimp and fish, on a priority basis.
- Provide HACCP training to extension workers, farmers, fishers, depot operators, processing plant workers, factory managers and quality assurance staff.
- Invite international assistance in the establishment of a stringent sanitary and hygienic system for primary fish landing, handling and processing to meet the new HACCP system requirements, which are expected to come into force in 1996.
- Amend rules of the Fish and Fish Product Ordinance to reflect present and future quality requirements and introduce appropriate fish landing and marketing regulations.
2.10 Technical Assistance Project Proposals
Four technical assistance project proposals were presented and discussed. These four, based on government priorities, were selected out of the 12 sectoral TA proposals and nine investment proposals of the TSS-1 National Fisheries Development Programme. Another follow-up workshop will be convened as soon as possible to finalize the proposals of the entire fisheries sector as contained in the national 15-year perspective plan.
The four proposals are:
- Strengthen the marine fisheries management system in Bangladesh.- Establish fish sanctuaries and impose a ban on fishing juvenile fish (Hilsa/jatka).
- Strengthen commercial and specialized financial institutions and NGOs in Bangladesh to enable easier provision of credit to the fisheries sector.
- Strengthen the Fisheries Extension Service of the Department of Fisheries.
The FRI has already carried out extensive research on the Hilsa fishery, such as behaviour and migratory patterns, breeding and spawning ground and life history. As such, the FRI should be actively involved in conducting research in the proposal hilsa fishery programme.
2.11 General areas
- Establish a national fisheries data-base and arrange easy dissemination of information to all concerned.
