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 The Bangladesh coastline (including
river estuaries) stretches for 714 km, with an Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) of 164,000 km², of which 44% is
continental shelf. The bulk of the country’s exploitable
fisheries extend to the 50 m mark, representing 37,000
km², while the industrial trawl fishery exploits
demersal fishery resources to a depth of 100 m. The
prospects for exploiting deeper waters have not been
explored. Bangladesh’s coastal waters are rich in the
diversity of fishery resources, with 475 recorded
species of finfish including the cartilaginous fishes
like sharks, skates and rays, a number of crustacean
(shellfish) resources including 36 species of shrimps,
and several other traditional and non-traditional
fishery items such as cuttlefish, octopus, oysters and
mussels. Four principal fishery groups can be
identified: shrimp fry collection (next section);
artisanal/coastal fishing vessels; a
commercial/intermediate sector; and industrial trawlers,
each with its separate history and characteristics.
Commercially important fishery
resources
More than 90 fish species are
commercially important. These fall under the common groups
of hilsa, silver pomfret, Chinese pomfret, white grunter,
red snapper, moonfish, Indian salmon, hairtail, cat fish,
croaker, thread-fin bream, goat-fish, lizard-fish, big-eye
ilisha, herring, barracuda, pike, conger and anchovy.
Almost all the shrimp species are commercially important.
Different fisheries target different species, though each
directed fishery has an associated by-catch due to the
multi-species characteristics of the fishing zones. The
trawl fishery, and in particular the shrimp trawlers,
target penaeid shrimps, the most valuable of which are
Penaeus monodon (black tiger shrimp), P. indicus (Indian
white shrimp) and Metapenaeus monoceros (brown shrimp).
Together, these make up more than 80% of shrimp catch.
Most other fisheries target one or more species of fish or
shellfish, though with exceptions. The estuarine set bag
net fishery (ESBN), the predominant artisanal/coastal
fishing method largely targets juvenile fish. For all
methods, pomfret, jewfish, hairtail, Bombay duck, grunter,
Indian salmon, red snapper are the most desired and
valuable fish species.
 The majority of the traditionally
targeted stocks are reported to be over exploited, with
the possible exception of hilsa, the euryhaline marine
shad that undertakes anadromous migration into the
freshwater river systems (Khan 1999). Almost all species
prosecuted are demersal with the exception of hilsa, which
are generally reported to be over-exploited in the river
systems. During their spawning migration gravid hilsa are
caught in the rivers and the young hilsa (jatka) are
indiscriminately caught during their backward migration to
the sea (Miah et al 1997, Mazid 1998, Blaber et al 1998).
Though highly migratory and a regionally distributed,
Mazid 1998 and Halder et al 1998 have reported a recent
trend of decline in riverine hilsa catches. Several other
fishery resources are under-exploited. These include 7-8
species of tuna and skipjack, and a few species of
mackerel, cephalopods (cuttlefish), anchovies and some
others. Some of these appear as by-catch in the commercial
as well as industrial fisheries. However, demand for
these species is limited due to poor demand on the local
market and an inability to achieve sufficient critical
mass to allow for penetration into export markets.
Sector characteristics
 The
sector comprises some 38,000vessels employing around
194,000 fishers (and support staff) (Table 28). This
figure excludes the 120,000 to 444,000 fishers working as
post larvae fry collectors. The number is variable since
there are no definitive data available to corroborate
total numbers. Estimates of landings range from ~ 300,000
to 590,000 mt, valued at Tk 34,000 M or US $ 603 M. 73% of
the fleet’s catch is caught by the commercial gill net
sector. This fleet uses a combination of small and large
meshed gill nets and estuarine gill nets. Another
increasingly popular method used by the
commercial/intermediate fleet is long-lining. Artisanal/coastal
vessels make up some 23% of total landings, using
estuarine set bag nets and beach seines. Around a third
of these also participate in the small mesh gill net
fishery targeting hilsa. These two sub-sectors are
commonly referred to as the artisanal fleet, and together
account for some 191,000 workers. The sector as a whole is
believed to be continually growing as the population of
coastal villages continues to increase, the most
significant growth being in the coastal/artisanal fleet.
There is concern that this subsector’s fishing methods
have no selectivity, and that fishing largely takes place
in nursery areas and in river estuaries, thus intercepting
under sized and migratory species.
Table: Coastal/marine fleet
– vessels & employment
|
Fishing vessel groups |
Number of vessels |
Average crew size per
vessel |
Total employed |
|
Industrial vessels |
120 |
|
3,000 |
|
Shrimp trawlers |
45 |
47 |
2,100 |
|
Finfish trawlers |
75 |
12 |
900 |
|
Commercial vessels |
10,273 |
|
114,308 |
|
MSBN / gill net |
9,152 |
12 |
109,824 |
|
Long lines |
1,121 |
4 |
4,484 |
|
Artisanal vessels |
28,707 |
|
77,122 |
|
ESBN / Gill net |
25,453 |
2 |
50,906 |
|
Beach seine |
558 |
40 |
22,320 |
|
Long lines |
2,296 |
1 |
2,296 |
|
Trammel net |
400 |
4 |
1,600 |
|
Total |
39,100 |
|
194,430 |
Coastal aquaculture
As earlier described, this sector is
primarily based on shrimp or bagda culture in ponds of
varying salinity, the production of golda prawns in fresh
or slightly saline water, and the culture of crabs and
other species, often in conjunction with bagda or golda.
The sector is linked by its use of coastal land and water
resources, typically with seasonally varying salinity and
varying degrees of water control, and is primarily defined
by shrimp and prawn production.
Production
 The
shrimp sector of Bangladesh has become very important in
economic terms, contributing significantly to foreign
exchange earnings and to employment generation in rural
areas. In 2001-2002, Bangladesh achieved the highest
ever export earnings from the fisheries sector (Tk
18,851 M (US $330 M), of which 89% was derived from
frozen shrimp (29,713mt)54. The combined production from
marine and brackish water ponds and from freshwater
ghers was estimated at around 42,900 mt (unprocessed
weight), 76% coming from extensive saline water
aquaculture and 24% from inland farming. The total area
under production is estimated to be equivalent to
200,000 ha of which 170,000 ha is directed towards
Tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon ( bagda) culture,
and the remaining 30,000 ha towards Macrobrachium
rosenbergii (golda). This compares with a total
52,000 ha and 3,500 ha in the mid 1980s respectively.
The total production area is believed to have expanded
by approximately 20% per annum in the last 15 years.
However, despite the comparative lower levels of
production of M. rosenbergii , its growth of
production has more than doubled over the same period.
The main cultivated species is
bagda, with total farm production of 25,000 mt (58%
of total) reported in 2001. G olda or Giant Freshwater
Prawn accounted for 11,942 mt, or 28% of total, while
Fenneropenaeus indicus ( Chaka or Indian
white shrimp), Metapenaeus monoceros ( Horina or
brown shrimp), Penaeus semisulcatus (Green
tiger shrimp) and Fenneropenaeus merguiensis
(Banana shrimp) make up a further 2,891 mt (7%), 850 mt
(2%), and 2,211 mt (5%) respectively. Whilst production
is focused on producing bagda and golda,
other shrimp species are also grown as a result of the
influence of poor screening and wild shrimp PL being
trapped in the tidal ponds. Two systems are used:
extensive gher culture, for marine and brackish water
bagda culture; and fresh water gher/pond culture for
golda. An estimated 37,397 (2002) farms culture
marine and brackish water species (Penaeus monodon,
Metapenaeus monoceros, Fenneropenaeus indicus, Penaeus
semisulcatus and Fenneropenaeus merguiensis), with a
further 105,00055 farms producing freshwater
Macrobrachium rosenbergii .
Export Trade
The export sector within Bangladesh
has grown to become an increasingly significant component
of national trade, and has involved significant private
sector investment over the last decade. The connection of
production networks commonly involving small-scale
producers, and traditional market and distribution
systems, to supply raw materials for products meeting
international standards, offers particular management and
logistic challenges.
Shrimp is the leading fishery
commodity in the global seafood market with a turnover of
more than US $10 billion.
..........Click for
more
Developing Coastal Aquaculture
 The
coastal aquaculture sector is likely to continue to be
dominated by shrimp and prawn culture, with increasing
amounts of fish production, either in polyculture or as
fallow or inter-seasonal crops, depending on availability
of seed. Additional production of molluscs may occur, and
may develop steadily within community development
initiatives but probably on a limited scale by comparison
with other sectors, and with its significance elsewhere in
the region. Cage fish culture for more valuable species is
also likely to develop, subject to site availability but
local market limitations, given the constraints of
exporting these in prime fresh condition, will limit the
scale of development.
..........Click for more
Developing Marine Fisheries
Many of the currently fished
estuarine and marine stocks are heavily exploited by
various types of gear, and will offer little scope for
further expansion and economic growth, though rising
prices may mean a relative growth in value. The extent to
which this will stimulate fishing effort, and feed income
into the communities concerned will depend on the levels
of competition in markets, and the extent to which higher
retail and wholesale prices are reflected in the first
hand sale prices.
..........Click
for more
Development and investment in
coastal aquaculture
In overall terms, the coastal
aquaculture sector has the greatest potential for growth
and development amongst all the production subsectors, due
to its close link with valuable export markets, its
relatively good competitive position, and the
establishment over the last decade of a supply,
production, market and value added system. Land and water
areas are not a major constraint, particularly given the
comparative profitability, and current macro-level
investment in water management and drainage could
potentially stabilise the potential of key areas with
respect to productivity, water exchange and husbandry.
However, as earlier noted, there are significant issues to
address if this potential is to be realised, and
investment decisions, whether in public-sector based
infrastructure development, social development initiatives
associated with strengthening the livelihoods of poor
communities, or private sector financing of production or
post harvest and value addition, will depend substantially
on the extent to which these issues can be resolved.
..........Click
for more
Investment opportunities in
marine fisheries
The decline in catches described earlier in this
review, and the issues underlying these suggests that the
downward trend in supplies is set to continue. In some
cases this will have devastating consequences on rural
livelihoods. As such the investment potential for improved
output is generally negligible, but that for maintaining
current levels of output and employment, and/or arresting
further decline, may be important if technically socially
and institutionally viable. As outlined earlier, there may
be mechanisms, in at least some resource sub-systems, for
promoting community based management, or co-management
approaches, and this may have better longer-term potential
than investment in public-sector enforcement-based
strategies, which on past evidence both nationally and
more widely, are unlikely to work, and indeed may create
perverse incentives associated with shortterm
rent-seeking.
..........Click
for more
Source:
Fisheries Sector
Review and Future Development
Theme study: Economic performance
June 2003, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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