Fisheries and Livestock Advisor Farida Akhtar has said that animal feed must not be used as fish feed under any circumstances, calling for a clear separation between the two to be included in the new National Fisheries Policy 2025.
The Adviser made these remarks as the chief guest at a stakeholder consultation workshop on the draft of the National Fisheries Policy 2025, held at the Cotton Development Board's conference room on Monday.
The Adviser said, “We must ensure that we can cultivate shrimp in an eco-friendly way while conserving the mangroves. Instead of only destroying illegal fishing nets, the import of materials used to produce such nets should be also banned.”
She has also said, “Once these fish enter the environment, they virtually devour everything. Later, directives are issued to kill them on sight. However, if the import of such fish had been discouraged from the very beginning, this situation would not have arisen.”
Farida Akhtar called for the social protection of fisherfolk to be more clearly defined in the new policy. She said that fishers should be specifically identified according to the type of fish they catch to ensure they receive appropriate support and protection.
She also pointed out the disparity faced by the fisheries sector, stating, "Often, the fisheries sector is considered a sub-sector of agriculture. Yet, when it comes to benefits like electricity tariff reductions, subsidies, or government incentives, the fisheries sector is neglected." She urged that this discrimination be addressed in the new policy by including the rights and incentives for the fishing community.
The workshop was presided over by Dr. Md. Abdur Rauf, Director General of the Department of Fisheries. Jiaoqun Shi, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative in Bangladesh, was present as a special guest.
The event was also attended by senior officials from the Department of Fisheries, Department of Agricultural Extension, Department of Disaster Management, university professors, and representatives from the National Fishermen's Cooperative Society and the Bangladesh Fish Farmers Association.
Dr. Md. Abul Hasnat, FAO’s National Project Coordinator, gave the welcome speech, while Md. Samsu Uddin, Project Director of the Community-Based Climate Resilient Fisheries and Aquaculture Development in Bangladesh project, presented the draft of the National Fisheries Policy 2025.
