Unplanned fishing threatens BD marine fish stocks: Farida

Farida Aktar, adviser for Fisheries and Livestock speaking at the closing ceremony of the Department of Fisheries’ Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries project held at a city hotel on Tuesday.

Unregulated and unplanned fishing practices are rapidly depleting Bangladesh’s marine fish stocks, posing a serious threat to both coastal and deep-sea fisheries, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter said on Tuesday.

“Bangladesh has enormous potential in marine fisheries, and we must utilise it wisely,” she said at the closing ceremony of the Department of Fisheries’ ‘Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries’ project held at a city hotel.

The adviser stressed the need for an integrated plan linking coastal and deep-sea fishing, saying that only four percent of women fishers have received fisher cards so far.

She described the small number as a positive step, while noting that women’s contributions in fisheries remain largely unrecognised and efforts are underway to ensure broader recognition and engagement across sectors.

Farida also pointed to the untapped potential of marine resources, saying many fish species remain unidentified and deep-sea fishing has yet to reach full scale. “Recent surveys have provided important insights into existing stocks.”

Sharing her experience from COP30 discussions, the adviser emphasised that climate change is becoming a major factor affecting marine fisheries worldwide.

Its impact is particularly evident in Bangladesh’s coastal areas, she said, urging policymakers to integrate climate considerations into future planning. - UNB