Govt’s Hilsa Management Project moves at snail’s pace

Although the government succeeded in conserving mother hilsa and Jatka (juvenile hilsa below 23cm in length), its Tk 246 crore Hilsa Management and Development Project (HMDP) has made very little progress in one year.

Bangladesh produces an estimated 85 per cent of the world’s hilsa, according to World Fish. The fisheries department said the country had 5.5 lakh metric tonnes of hilsa last year, just short of the 6 lakh MT target. Ten years ago, in 2010, hilsa yield was 3 lakh MT.

It said hilsa’s contribution to the national economy is TK 30,000 crore, about one per cent of the national economic growth GDP.

As hilsa production increased, the government focused on improving the management of the natural resources and undertook HMDP for implementation from July 2020 to June 2024.

According to the fisheries department, 5,00,000 people, mostly fishermen and boat owners, are directly involved with hilsa fishing. Directly and indirectly, over 25,00,000 people are also involved with the sector.

Under the HMDP, 10,000 fishers will receive fishing gear, another 30,000 people involved in the sector will get alternative employment opportunities.

The project is being implemented in 134 coastal upazilas of 29 districts.

Project Director Zia Haider Chowdhury said inadequate funding and the coronavirus epidemic slowed down HMDP’s progress.

He said they would provide fishing gear to 50 out of 10,000 fishers and create alternative employment for at least 700 fishermen out of 30,000 targeted fishers in FY21-22.

Under the project, the fisheries department will get 29 modern vessels to intensify monitoring.

One of the objectives of this project is to increase the production of hilsa by 16 per cent by 2024 and manage six sanctuaries.

“The project’s implementation will cut the coastal community’s dependence on hilsa fishing and ensure proper management,” ‍said Zia.

He said it would enhance the fisheries department’s capacity to protect hilsa and raise awareness among the coastal fishing communities.

Hilsa is part of the Bengali culture and traditional cuisine. The fish usually lives in the deep sea. They move to the funnel-shaped Bay of Bengal and adjoining rivers to lay eggs after the monsoon begins. The migration of hilsa is a unique natural feature of riverine Bangladesh.

Fisheries researcher Prof Manjurul Kibria of Chittagong University emphasised protecting hilsa habitat and ensuring a suitable environment for the fish.

“Although hilsa production has increased thanks to various government initiatives, much more needs to be done to ensure its sustainability,” he said.