RAJSHAHI, Jan 31, 2019 (BSS)-Fish production has been enhanced to 4.584
lakh metric tonnes in eight districts under Rajshahi division against its
demand for 4.048 lakh metric tonnes at present by dint of diversified steps
adopted and implemented during the last 10 years.
Fisheries department sources said fish farming in the region is making
many people financially solvent along with boosting their social dignity and
contributing to meeting the demand for animal protein across the country.
Amzad Hossain, a fish farmer of Keshorehat village in Mohanpur upazila,
alone produced 30.25 tonnes of fish worth around Taka 44.25 lakh making a net
profit of Taka 15 lakh in 2018.
Through ensuring quality, he collects eggs from government hatchery and
rivers and breeds fishes from the eggs by himself. At the initial stage, he
got training from Upazila Fisheries Office on fish farming.
“We have now capable of harvesting 0.536 lakh metric tonnes of surplus fish
against the present demand showing annual growth rate of more than five
percent,” said Rejaul Islam, divisional deputy director of Department of
Fisheries (DoF), here today.
In order to boosting fish production in the country’s internal water-
bodies, stock of around 1.04 lakh metric tonnes of fish fingerlings has been
arranged in different water-bodies at a cost of around Taka 15.62 crore
benefiting 6.84 lakh fish farmers.
Besides, beel nursery on 1,370.06 hectares of water-bodies has been
installed at a cost of around Taka 2.80 crore benefitting 58,984 fish-growers
contributing a lot to boosting carp fishes in internal water bodies.
More than 1.18 lakh fish farmers were imparted training on different
categories for boosting safe fish production through the best fish farming
development and management.
Apart from this, 835 projection fish farms were established under various
uplift schemes aims at expanding modern fish farming system in a massive way
through projection.
Noting that some 1.40 lakh fishermen were given registration, the fisheries
officer said, of them, about 1.10 lakh fishermen have already got identity
cards so that they can get necessary supports and incentives from the
government to improve their livelihood.
In order to boosting fish production and habitat improvement for native
fish species, 816.262 hectares of water-bodies were renovated and re-
excavated at a cost of around Taka 59.58 crore benefitting 18,405 fish
farmers.
More than 11,000 beneficiaries were given net, sewing machines, goat,
poultry birds and van cart aims at generating alternative employment.
Under the micro-credit programme in fisheries sector, loans worth Taka 4.54
crore were given to 545 beneficiaries. Infrastructure development of training
centres, hatchery building construction and renovation, overhead tank
improvement and upward extension of office buildings were done involving Taka
10.41 crore.
Fish growers in Rajshahi district attained success in fish production in
the last couple of years as the Department of Fisheries took diversified
efforts to boost fish production there.
After meeting the growing local demand, the district is now supplying over
100 trucks of fish to different districts, including Dhaka city, every day,
officials said.
In Rajshahi district, there are 41,876 ponds on 7294 hectares, 6108
commercial fish farms on 3,462 hectares and 486 open water-bodies, including
canals, beels, rivers and floodplains.