Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stressed creating awareness about the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as well as unplanned waste management and construction of roads and embankment that hampers reproduction and physical growth of fish and their breeding grounds.
She also emphasized on protection of natural breeding grounds of fishes, saying their undisturbed spawning will have to be ensured.
The Prime Minister was addressing the inaugural function of the ‘National Fisheries Week 2013” held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city.
She called upon all concerned to keep close watch so that no one could catch fish fry and egg bearing mother-fishes in the rainy season, says a UNB report.
Hasina said that after taking office this time, her government adopted ‘Jaal Jar Jala Taar’ (fishermen to be the owners of fishing grounds) policy and also framed and implemented the Water Body Management Policy 2009.
Besides, she said, works on the registration of fishermen and providing identity cards to them are progressing fast to reach the government incentives and assistance to the genuine fishermen and establish their rights in the water bodies (jolmohal).
The Prime Minister mentioned that her government has implemented various schemes in the last four and half years for the socio-economic development of the genuine fishermen through introducing new technologies in fish cultivation and sustainable preservation of fish resources.
She said production of Hilsha fish has reached 3.47 lakh metric tons following the implementation of Jatka protection programs in 21 districts and setting up of five sanctuaries for Hilsha, she said.
About shrimp export, Hasina said her government has resolved the problem with the European Union that stopped taking shrimps from Bangladesh due to forgery by some unscrupulous businessmen.
She said three international standard Fish Quality Control Laboratories have been established in Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna while one Shrimp Research Center set up in Bagerhat to ensure export of quality shrimps.
She mentioned that export of fish and fish products has increased to 26.87pc in last four and half years following the appropriate steps taken by the present government.
Referring to the country’s Maritime Boundary, the Prime Minister said that Bangladesh has established its sovereign right over 111,631 square kilometer area in the Bay of Bengal. As a result, fields have been uncovered for 13.50 lakh people of 2.70 lakh fishermen families to procure fishes.
Mentioning the adverse impact of global climate change in this sector, Hasina said the fishermen community is the worst sufferers and the production and breeding of fish is under serious threat.
She said the present government has been implementing various programs including preservation of the natural resources and bio-diversity in different areas such as the Halda River, Sundarbans and haors to protect the poor, landless fishermen.
She mentioned that the only natural breeding ground of Ruhi fish - the Halda River - has been declared as a ‘Sanctuary of Fish’.
Projects on capital dredging have been undertaken to maintain navigability in the rivers and ensure sufficient water flow through canals, beels and haors. This will enhance opportunities of fish cultivation, she said.
Presided over by the Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdul Latif Biswas, the inaugural function was also addressed, among others, by Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury and State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Mohammad Abdul Hye.
The Directorate of Fisheries and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MOFL) jointly organized the function.
Earlier, the Prime Minister handed over token identity cards to nine fishermen and distributed gold medals among five fish cultivators and silver medals among 15 individuals and organizations for their contribution in developing the fisheries sector.
Later, the Prime Minister released sweet water fish fry into the lake beside her official residence Ganobhaban.
