DHAKA, Aug 15, 2021 (BSS) – The United Kingdom (UK) has announced £16.2m for five programmes to tackle climate change, restore ocean health and reduce poverty in developing countries under its £500 million Blue Planet Fund.

In Bangladesh, the Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP), one of the five programmes, will support aquatic food production and trade, said a press release of British High Commission here today.
 
“It put in place the systems and ability to reduce the harmful impacts of aquatic food production, control common diseases of fish and seafood, and increase production,” it added.

The new programme builds on an existing strong cooperation between the UK’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, WorldFish, and the Bangladesh government’s Department of Fisheries, said the high commission.

The programmes, financed from the UK’s overseas aid budget, will increase marine protection, tackle plastic pollution and the decline of global coral reefs, as well as using the UK’s world-leading expertise to help respond to marine pollution disasters such as the Xpress Pearl in Sri Lanka.

In the run up to the UK hosting the COP26 climate talks in November, the British government is working with developing countries to take action to protect and restore the oceans.

The UK pledges to prevent the extinction of vital coral reefs in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Pacific and Southeast Asia, said the release.