The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock is working to increase commercial fishing, fisheries management, monitoring, control and surveillance along the country's maritime borders. Following this, a survey is being carried out in the sea areas of the country under the Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project. Information is being collected on what kind of fish is found in which area, how much fish is caught every day. A guideline will be issued on this basis, said Kh. Mahbubul Haque, Director General of the Fisheries Department.
He told Barta24.com that the sea is a huge fish reservoir. But we have not been able to harvest fish in a planned manner so far due to lack of necessary guidelines and curriculum. We made the plan based on the latest research in 1984. Now our sea areas have expanded. Green economy is calling us. That is why we now want to catch sea fish in a controlled manner. We have already taken several steps. The policy has also been almost finalized.
Mahbubul Haque said, "We are doing this by utilizing the search and research unit of the marine fisheries research ship RV Min." We want to make a significant contribution to the conservation of the environment as well as to the extraction of marine fish like other countries. Work is underway to create software for this, which will be available in June this year. Exchange of views is also going on with the stakeholders for action plan.
"There are many coastal people in our country whose main livelihood is fishing," he said. There are thousands of industrial and artisan boats. Apart from controlling these, this initiative of the government will help in improving the living standard of the fishermen.
Manish Kumar Mandal, deputy project director of the Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project, told Barta24.com that the project will run from July 2018 to June 2023. Work is underway to determine the catchment, extraction, storage, conservation and management of fish stocks of shrimp, bottom and floating species through conducting Fisheries Survey in Marine Private Economic Zone (EEZ). At present, the number of marine landing centers in coastal areas has been increased from 34 to 65. Data is being collected, where is any fish being found, how much is coming, all the information is being reviewed. Hopefully, all the necessary work will be completed by June.