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Fisheries high in export earnings

Bangladesh top in Hilsha production


Published : 19 Sep 2019 08:51 PM | Updated : 05 Sep 2020 11:21 PM

The government has preserved the genepool of 21 varieties of fish which are facing extinction. A total of Tk. 4250 Crore has been earned in the year 2018-19, exporting 73,171 MT of Fish. The data was revealed in the inaugural session of the two-day workshop on “Adoption of Annual Research Planning 2019-20”, organised by Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) at the BARC auditorium, Farmgate in city. Experts, attending the workshop, stressed further on stregnthening the research work on ocean fisheries.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister Ashraf Ali Khan Khoshru attended the inaugural ceremony as chief guest with Director General (DG) of Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI), Dr Yeahia Mahmud in the chair. Chief Scientific Officer of BFRI, Dr. Ashraful Alam presented keynote paper on the occasion while among others Fisheries and Livestock Secretary, Roisul Alam Mandal, Executive Chairman of Agriculture Development Council, Dr. Md. Kabir Ikramul Haque, DG, Department of Fisheries, Abu Sayed Md. Rashedul Haque and Professor of Dhaka University, Dr. Niamul Haque spoke on the occasion.

While addressing, Fisheries Minister said that the government has laid due importance on saving the species of indigenious fishes, on the verge of extinction, also to earn more foreign currencies through increasing production of obsolete fisheries resources. “3.57 percent of country's GDP is achieved from fisheries sector because more than 11 percent of total population is depended upon the fisheries sector. During the 80's decade total fisheries production was 8.0 Lac. MT of which 80 percent was fishes of rivers, haor, baor and beels, but today the production level has increased at 42.77 lac. MT with the allout effort of the government”, minister said.

He said Bangladesh is now on top position in Hilsha production, third in production of fish in the internal open water bodies, 4th in production of sweet water fish, 5th in producing cultivated fish. A total of 65 research papers will be presented in 6 technical sessions of the two-day workshop where fisheries scientists, extension workers, representatives from public and private sector organisations, university researchers, fish traders are participating.

Speakers said BFRI is conducting research on breeding of sea weed, waister etc. under two separate projects in development of unconventional species of fishes. Initiative has been taken to stregnthening research activities and infrastructure of Ocean Fisheries Research Center in Coxsbazar through implementing a project spending Tk. 50 crore.

They said fisheries sector supplies 25.30 percent of total agriculture sector income of the country and 60 percent of animal protein comes from fish. They also expressed worry over less production of some other fishes mainly including shrimp.


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