Marine fish are a key food source and an excellent source of macro and micro nutrients in Bangladesh coastal regions. DHA, zinc, calcium, and protein are all found in abundance in marine fish. Compared to other fish species, pelagic tiny fish, which are primarily caught by small-scale artisan fishermen, have higher nutritional value. Furthermore, it was shown that marine small fish, such as tilapia and large carps, were more nutrient-dense than fish species that are often eaten in freshwater in Bangladesh.

Marine fish are abundant in vital macro- and micronutrients that are highly bioavailable, simple to digest for people of all ages, and helpful in enhancing human health. It’s commonly recognized that fish are high in high-quality fatty acids, namely long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and highly accessible protein. But as recent studies have shown, fish are also a good source of minerals and vitamins like calcium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, and vitamin D. Eating marine fish has been linked to numerous health benefits from fetal life to adulthood due to its high nutritional value. These advantages include reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disorders in adulthood, neuro-development during the embryonic stage, and cognitive and visual development during infancy and childhood.

Drying is a widely used technique of preservation for little fish, which are underappreciated resources whether eaten whole or as fish powder. On the other hand, for toddlers between the ages of 6 and 23 months, 10 grams of dry tiny fish powder may provide 100% of the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for protein, calcium, selenium, and vitamin B12. Furthermore, it provides nursing or pregnant women with an important source of essential nutrients. Crucially, there is no risk connected to this consumption amount with regard to mercury or cadmium concentration.

Better-than-average proteins and healthy fats (such as long-chain omega-3 fatty acids like docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and EPA) can be found in dried fish, especially marine dried fish, which is a major source of these nutrients. High-quality protein and amino acids are the main ingredients of dried fish. Compared to larger dried fish, smaller fish have higher mineral levels, such as calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, zinc, etc. Consuming dried seafood hence has positive health impacts for people. It lowers the risk of coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular disorders while aiding in the formation of bodily tissues, antibodies, and enzymes as well as the healing of damaged tissues. Furthermore, it improves hyperglycemia, lowers triglycerides, lowers insulin resistance, protects cancer, and treats inflammatory illnesses like arthritis.

Farhana Islam
Agriculturist, Researcher
Fisheries Resource Management, CVASU

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The surge in fish imports is attributed to various factors, including the need to meet specific consumer demands and the preference of certain groups, including foreign nationals residing in Bangladesh. Moreover, there’s a growing market demand for low-priced fish varieties, prompting an increase in imports.

Most of the fish imported in the country is marine fish. Last year 100K tons of fish imported, about 58K tons were marine fish. The marine fish include sardines, shad or gizzard shad fish, sourced from countries such as Myanmar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Vietnam and even Uruguay.

However, India serves as the primary source of fish imports for Bangladesh, supplying a variety of species such as rui, katla, aair, boal, poa, kachki, baim, vetki, tuna etc. Furthermore, dried fish imports from India consist of kachki, chanda, loitta, and tengra.

Stakeholders say that Indian rui / rohu fish once held a monopoly in Bangladesh’s fish market a decade ago, but subsequently, rui fish from Myanmar dominated the market. However, due to recent unrest in Myanmar, the import of rui fish from India has resurged. The production of rui has also increased in Bangladesh by the time.

The majority of fish imported from India enters through the Benapole land port in Jashore, the Sona Masjid land port in Chapainawabganj and the Bhomra land port in Satkhira.

Among the companies that got permission for fish import, Freshco Distribution imported 20 tons of salmon from Australia, sent by Centennial Global Trade of Melbourne, Australia, to Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport. This company obtained approval for one tonne of salmon import in June and 30 tons in July of the previous year.

Additionally, Saat Tara Matsa Bebsayee in Pabna received permission to import 500 tons of dotted gizzard shad fish from Vietnam last July. Resembling hilsa fish, this variety is sent by sea to Chittagong port by Huy Phat Company.

SUBACO Bangladesh has approval to import 24.5 tonnes of Basa fish from Vietnam. Other imported fish include sardines and shad fish, often mistaken for hilsa, with retailers marketing them as such in the local market. A significant portion of imported catfish is sold under the name “bata” fish.

According to Sayed Md Alamgir, the director general of the Department of Fisheries, provisions for fish imports are outlined in the Fisheries and Fish Products (Inspection and Quality Control) Act, 2020. Despite this legal framework, a recent letter was forwarded to the Ministry of Fisheries and Animal Resources seeking guidance on granting approval for fish imports, highlighting the importance of policy decisions to prioritize the country’s interests.

The Department of Fisheries continues to authorize fish imports, despite challenges such as the ongoing dollar crisis and government efforts to discourage imports of various products. While precise data on recent foreign currency expenditure on fish imports is unavailable, historical data indicates significant spending on fish imports in previous fiscal years.

Bangladesh’s fish production has been steadily increasing, with the country contributing 11% to the world’s total freshwater fish production, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. However, despite this increase in production, fish exports from Bangladesh have experienced a decline in recent years.

In the fiscal 2021-22, Bangladesh exported 74K tons of fish, valued at over US $473.3 million. However, in the following fiscal 2022-23, the export volume slightly decreased, with around 69.8K tons of fish and fish products exported, generating an income of US $436.6 million. About 64% of Bangladesh’s fish exports consist of shrimp.

Shyamal Das, managing director of MU Seafood Limited, notes that while Bangladesh exports fish, there’s limited value addition, primarily exporting frozen products. He highlights the potential for value addition in the sector, citing China’s practice of importing fish from Bangladesh, adding value to it, and then exporting it to Europe and America.

Bangladesh’s fish import landscape is evolving, driven by diverse consumer demands and market dynamics, despite the country’s significant contribution to global fish production. Efforts to enhance value addition in the sector could further bolster Bangladesh’s position in the global fish market.

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Within Bangladesh’s Bay of Bengal, there are 121,110 square kilometers (46,760 square miles) of exclusive economic zones, or EEZs, which is home to more than 740 different kinds of aquatic life. A multitude of different marine animals are found here in addition to the 12 species of crabs, 33 species of sea cucumbers, five kinds of lobsters, and 36 varieties of shrimp.

Around 15% of Bangladesh’s total fish production comes from the marine sector, which meets the high protein needs of the population.

Notwithstanding the implementation of several rules and restrictions, Bangladesh has experienced a decrease in marine fish variety and populations throughout time. A study suggests that 475 marine fish species were present in Bangladesh in 1971, but that number dropped to 394 in 2021.

In 2019, the Department of Fisheries (DoF) published another report following a three-year survey (2016-2019). According to the data, since 2000, the overall amount of marine shrimp caught has decreased by almost 10,000 tons.

A total of 52,592 tonnes of marine shrimp were caught in 2009-10. In 2019-20, the number of tonnes dropped to 42,816.

According to the study, tiger and brown shrimps, two of the highest-value shrimp species, declined slowly but steadily over time. In contrast, after exhibiting a declining tendency for a number of years, white shrimp harvests had a strong surge in 2013. After then, it fell once again.

The number of fish species has declined significantly along with shrimp. Pomfret, a highly-valued fish, has also been declining alarmingly. A total of 50,245 tonnes of Pomfret were caught in 2009-10. DoF reports that ten years later, it had fallen to 10,023 tonnes, a drop of nearly fivefold.

The most overfished species seems to be the Indian salmon, referred to as Lakkha locally. In 10 years, its catch has dropped by 44 fold from 7,733 tonnes in 2009-10 to just 177 tonnes in 2019-20.

There are many causes of the significant decline, including juvenile catches, overexploitation, obstructions to migration routes, and pollution.

The Fisheries Department Annual Report 2020–21 states that about 231 of the 262 industrial fishing trawlers were in operation during the fiscal year 2020–21. Furthermore, 67,669 traditional fishing boats were engaged in the Bay of Bengal, including mechanized and artisanal boats. Aside from bottom fishing trawlers, there are also mid-water and prawn trawlers.

According to law, artisanal fishing is permitted up to 40 meters below the surface, whereas industrial trawlers are restricted to 40–200 meters (130–660 feet). Purse seiners and longliners are allowed to operate as far as 200 meters beyond national jurisdiction as well as the end of the EEZ. Additionally, the use of set bag nets (behundi jal), push nets (shrimp fry collection nets), and other harmful gear are prohibited when fishing in coastal regions.

The fishermen, however, merely adhere to these regulations due to soft monitoring and law enforcement. In some cases, boats use banned gear to catch fish, while in others, they fish in protected areas to maximize their harvest. Furthermore, there is no vessel monitoring system to follow the activities of each boat properly. Furthermore, fishermen give false information regarding their catch to the authorities. It is difficult to determine whether a boat is overfishing since there is no reliable means to do so.

In addition, fishermen discard by-catch from their harvests, and their nets are not equipped with excluding devices. These activities result in a lot of fish going to waste.

According to experts, the increase in Hilsa and small fish catches contributed to the overall increase in marine fish production. However, the overall situation is very concerning.

The detrimental effects of intensive fishing have already begun to manifest. There is a substantial alteration in the ecosystem structure in coastal areas which may or may not be reversible in a reasonable amount of time. In some cases, this intense overfishing might result in replacing larger, slower-growing, and reproducing species with small, fast-growing and reproducing species such as sardines and scads.

So taking urgent action is necessary to stop overfishing before it is too late. Monitoring the activities of fishing vessels should be provided by proper monitoring systems. Priority should be given to educating fishermen and enforcing laws.

Jaber Bin Abdul Bari
Department of Oceanography, NSTU

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