‘Quality fish key to boosting exports’

Bangladesh needs to focus on producing safe and quality fish to meet growing international demand and expand exports, Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid said on Monday.

Bangladesh must align its fisheries production with international quality standards and changing consumer demand if it wants to expand exports, Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid said on Monday.

“Quality control and prescribed standards must be strictly maintained at every stage of fish production to boost exports,” he said.

The minister was speaking as chief guest at a seminar titled “Fisheries Resources in Building a Self-Reliant Bangladesh: Present Context and Future Tasks”, organised by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council.

He said the world was now facing greater demand for safe and quality food rather than simply a shortage of food, making safe fish production increasingly important for Bangladesh.

“We have to determine our course of action keeping in mind the current problems facing the fisheries sector, future prospects, people’s demand, and the international market’s need for quality fish,” the minister said. “If we can identify the problems and resolve them on a priority basis, rapid progress is possible.”

He stressed the need for adequate fish sanctuaries to support natural breeding and increase production. The government has already taken various initiatives in this regard and started work on fish conservation, he said.

At the same time, excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers in agriculture and environmental pressures are hampering the natural breeding and production of fish, Aminur said.

He called for a shift towards modern and environmentally friendly production methods, while urging the sector to use modern technology to produce more fish in limited spaces.

The minister said Bangladesh had significant potential to expand its fisheries exports, particularly by meeting demand among expatriate Bangladeshis in different countries.

However, he said export growth would depend on producing fish according to the preferences and requirements of consumers in importing countries, rather than focusing solely on species consumed domestically.

He also highlighted the export potential of shrimp, crab, eel and other aquatic animals.

According to him, developing fry production and breeding systems alongside farming is essential. Production and exports could increase manifold if fry were artificially produced and reared using modern technology, he said.

Aminur stressed the need to coordinate quality fish production, food safety, environmental protection, modern technology, research and international market requirements.

He said effective advice from scientists, researchers and professionals working in these areas would help the government address challenges facing the fisheries sector.

Speaking as a special guest, Fisheries and Livestock State Minister Sultan Salauddin Tuku said a favourable environment for fish growth and breeding must be ensured to increase production.

He said encroachment on rivers and canals, navigability crises and industrial waste pollution were disrupting the natural movement and breeding grounds of fish.

Restoring the navigability of rivers and canals and re-establishing connections between them were therefore essential to restore fish habitats, Tuku said.

He recalled that President Ziaur Rahman had taken initiatives to restore river navigability and re-excavate canals. After a long hiatus, incumbent Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had again taken initiatives to re-excavate canals and rivers, he said.

Excavation work has already been carried out in various areas, Tuku said, adding that implementing the plan to re-excavate around 20,000 kilometres of canals and rivers would create a favourable environment for fish breeding and movement.

Tuku also expressed concern over the unregulated use of antibiotics in fish farming.

He said unnecessary antibiotic use was causing economic losses to farmers while also putting food safety at risk.

District-level seminars and workshops would be organised to raise awareness among farmers about the issue, he added.

BFRI Senior Scientific Officer Dr Moshiur Rahman presented the keynote paper at the seminar.