Fish output to meet nutrition stressed

Officials and experts at a post-rally discussion in Rangpur have stressed on further enhancing fish output to meet nutrition of people and strengthen their immune systems in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

They viewed this at the event held at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner to distribute prizes among four fish farmers for their contribution to enhancing fish production marking the National Fisheries Week-2022 on Sunday afternoon.

The district administration and Department of Fisheries jointly arranged the discussion participated by fish farmers, hatchery owners, government officials and civil society members.

Deputy Commissioner Md. Asib Ahsan presided over the discussion after leading a rally and releasing fingerlings in the nearby Cricket Garden pond in the city.

Divisional Deputy Director of the Department of Fisheries Md. Monirul Islam, District Fisheries Officer Md. Badruzzaman Manik, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Md. Golam Rabbani and District Awami League President Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed addressed the occasion.

While delivering a welcome speech, the District Fisheries Officer said farmers are increasing fish production every year in the district on the way to achieve self-reliance in fish by the next couple of years.

“The annual fish production stood at 62,069 tonnes last year in Rangpur district against the annual demand of 63,096 tonnes,” he said, adding that only 17,685 tonnes of fish was produced in the district 10 years ago during the 2010-2011 FY.

There are 42,339 ponds and dighees with 8,450 hectares of land area, 97 borrow pits with 53 hectares, six rivers and vast floodplains with 22,025 hectares of land area in addition to 21 fisheries hatcheries and 812 fisheries nurseries in the district.

Monirul Islam said Bangladesh has already achieved self-sufficiency in fish and the country continues increasing production of fish to the tune of one lakh tonnes on an average annually in recent years.