Hilsa production to be boosted by BDT 2.46 billion project

CNI Desk: In a fresh move, the government is going to pick up a new scheme to increase hilsa production further so that the national fish is available all round the year.

A Tk 2.46 billion project titled ‘Hilsha Resource Development and Management’ has been proposed to be implemented by June 2024 with this regard, the Planning Commission sources said.

The move comes as the delicious fish is still outside the reach of a major portion of the country’s population despite its increased production in recent years supported by various steps of the government.

 

With the new scheme, the government eyes to raise hilsa’s annual production to six lakh tones from current 5.34 lakh tonnes through stricter enforcement of law to preserve mother fish and fish fries.

Alternative jobs will also be created for 30,000 fishing families apart from distributing 10,000 legal fishing nets to fishermen and creating awareness among them through publicity.

Under the scheme, six fish sanctuaries will be created and mother fish catching will be stopped in the rivers lower Meghna, the lower Padma, the Tentulia and the Andharmanik during the breeding season.

“Bangladesh is now abundant with hilsa resources. The production has now increased to 5.34 lakh tonnes per year which was only 2.9 lakh metric tonnes in 1998,” commented Department of Fisheries official Ramzan Ali.

It is very much possible to raise the production to six lakh tones per year with protecting mother hilsa during breeding season alongside safeguarding the sanctuaries at a certain time of a year, according to the fish experts.

“Now, hilsa fish is seen in some other rivers and haors. So we’re going to undertake a project so that hilsa fish is available all round the year,” the fishery official also said.

 

 Besides holding awareness-building meetings and workshops near hilsa sanctuaries, 13 boats will be produced to conduct drives and 13,400 mobile courts will be conducted. Also, 18,000 fishermen will be trained up on alternative job under the scheme.

Hilsa production dipped to 1.99 tonnes in 2002-2003 from 2.29 tonnes in 2000-2001 because of natural and man-made causes. 

Hilsa constitutes 19 per cent of total fish production with contributing 1 per cent to the national GDP. Bangladesh produces 60 per cent of total global hilsa production.

Some five lakh people are directly involved in hilsa catching while another 20 to 25 lakh are indirectly involved with it.