Our work is our future (Fisheries)

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‘Evolve together with everyone, take care of the body, stay healthy. Our actions are our future. This year's World Food Day 2020 is being celebrated under this theme. Which is extremely timely. Food security is an important factor in achieving the SDGs, Bangladesh's national development and aspiration for sustainable development. One of the challenges today is to provide nutritious and healthy food to the people of the country. The contribution of fish and fish products in ensuring a balanced diet by providing nutritious animal meat to the growing population of more than 160 million people of this country is particularly significant. Besides, the role of fisheries sector in the socio-economic development and poverty alleviation of the sector-related people is very important. The fisheries sector contributes more than 3.50% of the country's GDP and more than one-fourth (25.62%) of the agricultural GDP (Bangladesh Economic Survey 2019). In the last five years, the average GDP growth in the fisheries sector has been 7.28 percent. A significant portion of the country's export earnings comes from the fisheries sector. More than 11 percent of the total population of the country is making a living by directly or indirectly engaging in various activities in this sector.

Today, under the direction of Hon'ble Prime Minister, Bangladesh is self-sufficient in fish production. Today, Bangladesh's success in increasing the rate of fish production is recognized by the world. According to the report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2020, the growth rate of global fish production has been slow but the average growth rate of fish production in Bangladesh over the past decade is 9.1%, which is second in the world 5th place in production as usual. Besides, it ranks 7th and 12th in the world in the production of marine and coastal crustaceans and finfish respectively.

Above all, the Department of Fisheries has already received the Gold Medal at Bangabandhu Krishi Puraskar 1423 in recognition of its outstanding contribution to agriculture through human resource development. These achievements are the result of the appropriate activities implemented by the government for the development of fisheries.

Vision-2021, Bangladesh: Fisheries Development Perspective Plan has been formulated to achieve the goals of achieving food self-sufficiency, job creation and poverty alleviation for a prosperous future. Moreover, integrated development activities are being undertaken keeping in view the priority sector-related activities mentioned in the election manifesto, especially ensuring nutritious and safe food, poverty alleviation, modern agricultural system-target mechanization, economy-marine resource development. An action plan has been formulated to achieve the Fisheries Sector-related targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a concerted initiative has been taken with all the stakeholders concerned to implement them. In order to sustain the success achieved in the field of fish production, the government has taken initiatives to implement various social and environment friendly activities as well as other timely and appropriate activities. Notable activities undertaken to this end are:

Inland water habitat development and conservation of natural breeding grounds and biodiversity; Improving fish production in closed reservoirs; Expansion of environment and social friendly shrimp farming; Tolerant extraction, development and management of marine fisheries; Development of Jatka conservation and hilsa resource system; Introduce nutrient-sensitive aquaculture systems and raise awareness; Expansion of social security activities; And to build healthy and safe fisheries and fish products.