Fighting against multi-faceted obstacles including natural calamities, the southern region of 'Mache Bhate Bengali' has fish surplus almost twice the demand. Even with a shortfall of more than half of the sanctioned manpower in the fisheries sector in the region, as well as no vessels operating in seas and rivers, the growth is higher than the national rate. In the last one decade, fish production in the country has increased by 53 percent, but about 11 lakh tons of food surplus, the fisheries sector has grown by 75 percent in the southern region.
Hilsa production has increased by 112 percent in the southern region. And 66 percent of hilsa in the whole country is extracted in the southern region. Against the daily requirement of 60 grams of fish for a person in our country it has already increased to 62.58 grams. According to the calculations of 'Bangladesh Economic Survey-2018', the fisheries sector contributes 3.57 percent of the country's total GDP and 25.30 percent of the agricultural GDP.
More than 11 percent of the total population of the country derive their livelihood directly and indirectly from the fisheries sector. Although the country achieved self-sufficiency in fish production in 2016-17, the southern region achieved self-sufficiency in this area 5 years earlier. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2018 report, Bangladesh ranks 3rd in open and inland fish production and 5th in inland fish production in the world.
The southern region is also making a significant contribution in this regard. The 6 districts of this region have about 26 thousand hectares of closed reservoirs, 4 lakh 27 thousand 482 hectares of open reservoirs, about 2500 private fish farms, about 50 public and private fish hatcheries, 920 nursery farms, and about 9 thousand shrimp farms have made a great contribution to fish production.
People of Barishal region are inclined towards fish farming as the profit in fish is more than agricultural crops. However, after Cyclone Sidr in 2008, heavy rains including cyclones like Mahasen, Ampan, Ayala and Sitrang flooded a large number of fish enclosures, ponds and ponds in Barishal region and millions of fish and fry were washed away and the farmers were calm. However, fish farming continued to grow in 42 upazilas in Barishal region. 11 rivers in the southern region have been declared sanctuaries which will play a significant role in increasing fish production in open water bodies.
However, as a result of continuous urbanization, the ponds, lakes and canals of the southern district towns along with the metropolis are continuously filling up which will be a big threat to the fisheries sector. Barishal region has about 427,000 ponds and ponds, 667 boreholes, 90 flowing rivers, 43 bils, one baor or dead river, about 1500 canals and 600 floodplains, with a total of 5456,000 hectares of fish production. . The production of fish in these reservoirs has increased from 2 lakh 98 thousand tons in 2008-09 to 5 lakh 23 thousand tons in 2017-18 financial year and to about 5 lakh 32 thousand tons in 2017-22 financial year. Out of which the production of hilsa was like 3 lakh 70 thousand tons. In the financial year 21-22, the sustainable production of hilsa in the country was 5.66 lakh tonnes.
Besides about 60,000 tons of rui fish and pangas, horn-magur, koi, tilapia and shrimp, the production of other fish was also about 150,000 tons. At this time, 50 public and private hatcheries and 923 nurseries in the southern region have produced about 18,000 kg of small and 2,518,000 fish fry.
About 5 lakh fishermen of Barishal region are dependent on fisheries sector. Out of which the number of fishers registered by the Department of Fisheries is 3 lakh 2 thousand 474. The number of fishermen families in this region is about 250,000. According to another statistics of the Department of Fisheries, among the 8 divisions of the country, only in Barishal division, about 350,000 fishermen are involved in hilsa extraction. Of which 65 percent are full-time and 35 percent are part-time. In the last fiscal year 22-23, the Department of Fisheries has released 53 lakh different fish fry in the revenue and development sector in about 2000 water bodies of Barishal region.
The government has set a target of 20 percent increase in the income of the country's fish farmers and fishermen in the 7th Five Year Plan with the 2012-13 financial year as the base. For this purpose, various projects and programs have been announced in the southern region as well. Cage fish farming activities in various open water bodies of the country gained considerable popularity in the past, but recently it has stagnated somewhat. At present, 1200 fishermen are cultivating fish in about 1500 cages in Barishal area, and about 1000 tons of different types of fish have been produced annually.
Besides, the cultivation of crab and kuchia is expanding considerably in different districts of this region. In the financial year 2021-22, 3000 tons of kuchia and 300 tons of crab have been produced in 750 farms in this region. In 11 upazilas of 6 districts, 25 demonstration farms of juvenile crab farming in ponds, pene crab fattening, caged crab fattening and kuchia farming at social level have been set up. In the last fiscal year, about 3,000 fishermen of 8 upazilas in the southern region produced 150,000 tons of dry fish. All of which were sun-dried and pesticide-free.
Due to the shortage of manpower, the activities of the Department of Fisheries in Barishal Division have come to a standstill. Only 101 posts of sanctioned manpower of 170 officers for 42 upazilas of 6 districts of this region are vacant. Besides, 120 people are working against the authorized posts of 200 employees. There is only 1 against 7 posts of Senior Assistant Director in this region, 2 working against the post of four assistant directors. Similarly, in every district and upazila, a large number of posts of officers and employees are vacant, and all activities including fisheries and production are being hampered throughout the Barishal region.
General Secretary of Barguna Patharghata Fish Landing Center Artdar Samiti Enamul Hossain said, to increase the production of hilsa the government has taken various initiatives. Because of these initiatives, the production of hilsa is increasing in the southern region. Coastal fishermen have done quite well with hilsa.
He said that even though the government got crores of money from the Patharghata fish landing station, there was no development. As the wharf of the landing center is small, not many trawlers can crowd at once. Due to this, trawlers from other areas do not come here. If the market is made bigger, more trawlers will come here to sell fish.
Barishal Divisional Deputy Director said, there is immense potential for fish farming in the southern region with many rivers. We are trying to expand fish farming with advanced technology. For this purpose, efforts are being made to bring all fish farmers to advanced technology along with making common people interested in fish farming.