UNB, Dhaka :
Bangladesh may increase its fish production by about 7.5 lakh metric tonnes through bringing five lakh hectares of haors and other floodplains under aquaculture by 2017, says a new study.
If the flood plain areas are brought under the converge of aquaculture by the period, the study predicts that the country will be able to earn additional Tk 75,000 million ($ 1,000 million) apart from creating huge jobs.
Four independent researchers prepared a report titled ‘A Preliminary Study on Support to Bangladesh Aquaculture Sector: Existing Reality and Scope for Improvements’ for Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSSF) with financial support from World Fish.
The report suggested conducting a survey to ascertain floodplains and select five lakh hectares in phases within 2-3 years’ time from the greater Mymensingh, Sylhet, Faridpur, Khulna, Jessore, Pabna and Comilla regions.
According to official data, annual fish production has increased to 3.55 million metric tonnes in 2013-14 from 2.56 million metric tonnes in 2007-08. More than 10 percent of the country’s population depends directly or indirectly on fisheries for their livelihood, while 60 percent of the national animal protein consumption is met by fish.
Dr Bazlul Haque Khandker, one of the lead authors of the report and economics professor of Dhaka University, said irrespective of private or public ownership, all open floodplains and low-lying flood lands that naturally retain at least 60cm of monsoon water for at least three months at a stretch must be brought under aquaculture applying pen culture, not interfering with water movements.
Public land will be leased out to groups of poor, he said, but private land owners will either do the fish farming themselves or else, and they must lease out the land to interested people on a long-term basis either only for the monsoon or whole year.
The study predicts that improved Bagda-fish farming technology may raise shrimp production to 1.5 lakh metric tonnes in the country and export to $ 1.3 billion by 2017.
Expanding galda farms from existing 50,000 hectares to 1.2 lakh hectares, galda production may increase to 80,000 metric tonnes from 25,000 metric tonnes with farm-gate price of Tk 48,000 million ($ 685 million).
Dr Md Abdul Wahab, a professor of fisheries at Bangladesh Agriculture University, told UNB that Bangladesh is producing additional 2 lakh metric tonnes of fish each year and it is quite possible to produce 7.5 lakh metric tonnes of fish by 2017 through bringing haors and other floodplains under aquaculture.
Fish production could be increased five times in public wetlands by introducing carp fish and protecting indigenous small fish species, he added.
Aquaculture is significantly contributing to the increase of the country’s fish production. In 2013-14 fiscal, the share of inland culture fishes in total fish production was more than 50 percent, according to official statistics.
The total volume of inland open and marine fish production has remained almost the same between 2001 and 2014. But, the production of inland culture and aquaculture fish production have increased by over 100 percent during the period.
The major share of the cultured fishes belongs to aquaculture are shrimp, prawn, tilapia and pangash.
Most importantly, major share of the fisheries products in export belongs to aquaculture, particularly the exports coming from shrimp and prawn. Between 2001 and 2014, total export earnings from shrimp and prawn increased more than 100 percent.
The report recommended conducting a further comprehensive study to design an aquaculture promotion strategy, which will show potential impact of modernising fisheries and aquaculture sector on the overall GDP growth and employment.
Bangladesh may increase its fish production by about 7.5 lakh metric tonnes through bringing five lakh hectares of haors and other floodplains under aquaculture by 2017, says a new study.
If the flood plain areas are brought under the converge of aquaculture by the period, the study predicts that the country will be able to earn additional Tk 75,000 million ($ 1,000 million) apart from creating huge jobs.
Four independent researchers prepared a report titled ‘A Preliminary Study on Support to Bangladesh Aquaculture Sector: Existing Reality and Scope for Improvements’ for Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSSF) with financial support from World Fish.
The report suggested conducting a survey to ascertain floodplains and select five lakh hectares in phases within 2-3 years’ time from the greater Mymensingh, Sylhet, Faridpur, Khulna, Jessore, Pabna and Comilla regions.
According to official data, annual fish production has increased to 3.55 million metric tonnes in 2013-14 from 2.56 million metric tonnes in 2007-08. More than 10 percent of the country’s population depends directly or indirectly on fisheries for their livelihood, while 60 percent of the national animal protein consumption is met by fish.
Dr Bazlul Haque Khandker, one of the lead authors of the report and economics professor of Dhaka University, said irrespective of private or public ownership, all open floodplains and low-lying flood lands that naturally retain at least 60cm of monsoon water for at least three months at a stretch must be brought under aquaculture applying pen culture, not interfering with water movements.
Public land will be leased out to groups of poor, he said, but private land owners will either do the fish farming themselves or else, and they must lease out the land to interested people on a long-term basis either only for the monsoon or whole year.
The study predicts that improved Bagda-fish farming technology may raise shrimp production to 1.5 lakh metric tonnes in the country and export to $ 1.3 billion by 2017.
Expanding galda farms from existing 50,000 hectares to 1.2 lakh hectares, galda production may increase to 80,000 metric tonnes from 25,000 metric tonnes with farm-gate price of Tk 48,000 million ($ 685 million).
Dr Md Abdul Wahab, a professor of fisheries at Bangladesh Agriculture University, told UNB that Bangladesh is producing additional 2 lakh metric tonnes of fish each year and it is quite possible to produce 7.5 lakh metric tonnes of fish by 2017 through bringing haors and other floodplains under aquaculture.
Fish production could be increased five times in public wetlands by introducing carp fish and protecting indigenous small fish species, he added.
Aquaculture is significantly contributing to the increase of the country’s fish production. In 2013-14 fiscal, the share of inland culture fishes in total fish production was more than 50 percent, according to official statistics.
The total volume of inland open and marine fish production has remained almost the same between 2001 and 2014. But, the production of inland culture and aquaculture fish production have increased by over 100 percent during the period.
The major share of the cultured fishes belongs to aquaculture are shrimp, prawn, tilapia and pangash.
Most importantly, major share of the fisheries products in export belongs to aquaculture, particularly the exports coming from shrimp and prawn. Between 2001 and 2014, total export earnings from shrimp and prawn increased more than 100 percent.
The report recommended conducting a further comprehensive study to design an aquaculture promotion strategy, which will show potential impact of modernising fisheries and aquaculture sector on the overall GDP growth and employment.
