Annual fish output to rise to 85 lakh tonnes by 2041

Bangladesh has targeted to raise annual fish production to 85 lakh tonnes by 2041, said Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim yesterday.

The target is 1.8 times higher than the 2021-22 fiscal year's production of 47.59 lakh tonnes, he said.

The minister shared the information at a press conference, organised to mark to National Fisheries Week 2023, at the conference room of the Department of Fisheries in the capital.

"The government has taken various steps to ensure that locally produced fishes are safe for human consumption," he said.

The government has set up laboratories of international standards in the country for the production and export of safe and healthy fish, he said.

Karim said the government is giving utmost importance to the multi-purpose use of fish along with increasing fish production.

"Making of chips, cakes and other products from fish will also increase fish consumption."

He said those who want to work on the versatile use of fish are being given agricultural loans on easy terms and low interest.

The minister said the government is working to increase the production of conventional and non-conventional fish in the country.

Scientists and researchers have brought back 39 species of native fish that were on the verge of extinction, he said.

The Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute established a "live gene bank" for the conservation of small indigenous fish in 2020 and so far over 100 species have been included, he added.

In 2022-23, Bangladesh earned more than Tk 4,790 crore through the export of around 70,000 tonnes of fish and fish products.

The country ships various types of fish to 52 countries, according to the fisheries ministry data.