DHAKA, March 14, 2018 (BSS) – Fish production in the country increased by 12.35 lakh tonnes in eight years as a result of various effective programmes taken by the present government.
“We are getting 60 percent animal protein from the fisheries sector… The government is attaching priority to fisheries sector to meet the growing demand of protein,” Director General of Fisheries Department Dr Md Goljar Hossain told BSS today.
He said fisheries production of the country was 28.99 lakh tonnes in fiscal 2009-10, while it rose to 41.34 tonnes in 2016-17, meaning the fish production increased by 12.35 tonnes.
According to Bangladesh Economic Survey-2017, 23.81 percent of total agriculture income comes from fisheries sector.
In 2009-10, the total fish production was 28.99 lakh tonnes while it was 30.62 lakh tonnes in 2010-11, 36.84 lakh tonnes in 2014-15, 38.78 lakh tonnes in 2015-16 and 41.34 lakh tonnes in 2016-17, the survey added.
The government’s target of fish production for 2017-18 is 42 lakh tonnes.
Dr Goljar said, “Both public and private sectors have made contributions to increasing the fish production in the country, which eventually is boosting economic progress fulfilling domestic demand.”
The major programmes for increasing fish production are the expansion and strengthening of community-based fish cultivation programme, ensuring access of fish cultivators to khas wetlands, taking marshland nurturing program and release of fish fries to water bodies and promoting innovative technology through research works.
Director General of Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute Dr Yahiya Mahmood told the news agency nearly two crore people including 14 women directly and indirectly depend on fisheries sector. The fisheries sector creates six lakh employment facilities every year, he added.
Dr Yahiya said, “We have developed 57 new technologies for promoting and expansion of fisheries sector… These technologies have made a valuable contribution to enhancing fish production.” The institute also made an important contribution to prevent extinction of indigenous species of fish, he added.