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Hilsa export to India: Bangladesh earned $13.6m this year so far

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Hilsa export to India: Bangladesh earned $13.6m this year so far​

FE ONLINE DESK | Published: October 06, 2022 13:04:36

Hilsa export to India: Bangladesh earned $13.6m this year so far


Bangladesh government has earned $13.6 million US dollars from exporting 1,352 tonnes of hilsa fish to India this year so far, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim said today.
Hilsa production has doubled in last 12 years and the rate of production is now 90 per cent, he said.

The minister revealed this information while speaking at a press briefing on ‘Mother hilsa conservation drive 2022’, held at the Secretariat.

Like every year, the government is going to impose a 22-day ban on hilsha fishing – from October 7 to 28, he said, reports UNB.

Hilsa catching, selling and transporting will remain prohibited in the 7,000 square km area during the period to ensure the safe spawning of the hugely popular fish during its peak breeding period, he added.

“Those found violating the law will face legal action including imprisonment and fine. None will be spared,” said the minister.
Besides, the government will take strict action against those involved in creating any obstruction on the development of hilsa resources.

During this ban period all activities including catching, selling and transportation of hilsa will be prohibited in 20 districts including Chandpur, Laxmipur, Noakhali, Feni, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bagerhat, Dhaka, Shariatpur, Madaripur, Faridpur, Rajbari, Manikganj and Munshiganj districts, he said.

The ice factories of the districts will be closed as well during the ban, he added.

Meanwhile, fishermen of 18 districts including Gopalganj, Narayanganj, narsingdi, Kishoreganj, Tangail, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Pabna, Sirajganj, Natore, Bagura, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Brahmanbaria, Khulna, Kushtia, Narail and Jamalpur districts will be allowed to catch other fish except hilsa.

Mobile courts will conduct drives day and night in all rivers of 38 districts, fisheries ghat, wholesale markets, chain shops and other markets to discourage people from catching and selling hilsa fish, he said.

Alongside police, local administration, Navy personnel, Air Force, Coast Guard, Rab, river police and Fisheries Department will jointly conduct the drives.

Meanwhile, dredging work in different rivers will be suspended during this period to ensure smooth spawning of hilsa, he said.
Hilsa, the national fish of Bangladesh, is recognised as a certified patented product of Bangladesh.

Nearly 6 lakh people of Bangladesh are involved in catching hilsa directly while 20-25 lakh people are involved in transporting, selling and other activities indirectly.

Thanks to government initiatives, production of hilsa has increased to 5.65 lakh metric tonnes in 2020-21 fiscal year while it was 2.98 lakh metric tonnes in 2008-09 FY.

Last year, nearly 51.76 per cent of mother hilsa were able to lay eggs during the ban period, boosting production and hilsa export to India.
 
Exporting Ilish is absolutely unnecessary. We ourselves has massive demand for Ilish. This fish gets overpriced because of massive demand and low supply!
 
Exporting Ilish is absolutely unnecessary. We ourselves has massive demand for Ilish. This fish gets overpriced because of massive demand and low supply!

It’s a big foreign currency earner. It’s not an essential hence exports should never be curtailed and people have to pay the market price.
 
There was a time when Hilsha used to be exported to countries where expatriate Bangladeshis lived. But, not now. Exporters need special permission from govt authority to export Hilsha.

However, the govt policy is different when it is in Kolkata. Hilsha is being exported there. Not that I personally do not appreciate this export to India. But, the government must also permit Hilsha exports to other countries.

Nowadays, Hilsha comes to Japan from Burma and Thailand. Meanwhile, the country loses a source of foreign currency earnings
 
It’s a big foreign currency earner. It’s not an essential hence exports should never be curtailed and people have to pay the market price.
Just like if GoB start exporting Sylhets Gas it also can be a huge foreign currency earner.

Ilish is a protein source and we need it.

Local demand first then export.
 
What's so special about hilsa fish?

Hilsa fish has special omega fatty acids that have a buttery flavor that Bengalis like. It is like Salmon which lives in the sea but returns to the Padma/Meghna river tributaries to spawn. The fish when harvested from rivers has lively qualities and keeps for longer than other fish when iced.

Personally, I am ambivalent about the taste and like it well fried and carefully de-boned (I let the women in the household do it, in exchange for other favors). The fish row (eggs) are also good eating when fried.

Hilsa fish has very fine bones which can get stuck in your throat. This is a bad predicament.

The only few types of fish I will eat are Hilsa and Silver Pomfret (both fried) and of course in the US Norwegian or Northwest Salmon and Alaska Halibut filets (also breaded/fried). Pomfret has very few bones and the US market Salmon filets come completely de-boned. Salmon is almost like other dense meat like Chicken.

Pakistani folks or even Indian Northerners aren't used to fish in their diet. For them, this fish-craze is hard to understand.

But Fish curry is a Bengali thing for a reason. Omega fatty acids are Health-wise an excellent source of protein and enriches intellectual activity. It is well-proven medically.

You should try it though, the fry is just heaven, mix the oil separately with rice and a pinch of salt :D
View attachment 885487

Some people like it with Khhichdi in Bangladesh (fried variety). Steamed Hilsa with Mustard sauce is also a Kolkata favorite.

1665206341098.png
 
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Hilsa fish has special omega fatty acids that have a buttery flavor that Bengalis like. It is like Salmon which lives in the sea but returns to the Padma/Meghna river tributaries to spawn. The fish when harvested from rivers has lively qualities and keeps for longer than other fish when iced.

Personally, I am ambivalent about the taste and like it well fried and carefully de-boned (I let the women in the household do it, in exchange for other favors). The fish row (eggs) are also good eating when fried.

Hilsa fish has very fine bones which can get stuck in your throat. This is a bad predicament.

The only few types of fish I will eat are Hilsa and Silver Pomfret (both fried) and of course in the US Norwegian or Northwest Salmon and Alaska Halibut filets (also breaded/fried). Pomfret has very few bones and the US market Salmon filets come completely de-boned. Salmon is almost like other dense meat like Chicken.

Pakistani folks or even Indian Northerners aren't used to fish in their diet. For them, this fish-craze is hard to understand.

But Fish curry is a Bengali thing for a reason. Omega fatty acids are Health-wise an excellent source of protein and enriches intellectual activity. It is well-proven medically.



Some people like it with Khhichdi in Bangladesh (fried variety). Steamed Hilsa with Mustard sauce is also a Kolkata favorite.

View attachment 885548


We should really be pusuing large scale fishing very deep in Bay of Bengal (closer to international waters) - an unlimited source of healthy, lean protein. While people in Bd no longer starve to death, malnutrition is rampant among the poor and even lower middle class due to unaffordability of highly nutritous food. The economies of scale associated with large scale deep sea trawling can kill malnutrition overnight while also open up a new major avenue for export.


Our present fishing industry is confined to near the coast due to lack of high endurance fishing trawlers that can spend weeks out at far ends of the Bay.

Please read the below article to understand the level of naivity prevalent among both public and private sector stakeholders on this issue.

We need Walton to intervene in yet another industrial sector to bust stupidity and transform it into a money maker. :lol:

====/=/====================

New maritime boundary yet to bring fishing benefits​

Hasan Al Javed
19 Aug 2021 00:00:00 | Update: 19 Aug 2021 00:04:59

New maritime boundary yet to bring fishing benefits

Despite being awarded an additional 19,467 square kilometres of maritime area in 2014, Bangladesh is far behind in utilising the full potential of its marine resources due to a lack of investment and the absence of modern fishing vessels.
Although fish production has increased slightly over the years, experts say Bangladesh currently uses roughly seven per cent of its entire maritime area when it comes to fishing at sea.

In 2014, The International Tribunal for the Law of the Seas (ITLOS), in a verdict, gave Bangladesh the sovereign rights of a total of 1,18,813 sqkm territorial sea, 200 nautical miles (NM) of exclusive economic zone and all kinds of animal and non-animal resources under the continental shelf.
With the additional maritime area, Bangladesh found a maximum depth of 2,200 metres at the edge of its maritime boundary. However, traditional oceanic industrial fishing trawlers in the country can reach a maximum depth of only 130 meters.
Talking to The Business Post, Bangladesh Marine Fisheries Association (BMFA), the trade body representing fish and shrimp harvesting companies in the Bay of Bengal, said lack of surveying and available data on marine resources have been limiting the capacity of the country’s deep-sea fishing sector.

‘‘There is no data on fishing capacity or risk assessment areas in the deep sea, and that is why fishing vessels do not cross the government predefined 1,7000 sqkm area or 130 metres in depth,” said BMFA President Nurul Qayyum Khan.
“If we have no data from the government regarding marine resources present at deep sea, then why we will make more investments in procuring bigger or modern vessels?’’ he questioned.
“All fishing vessels sit idle at the docks for almost 90 days as the government imposes bans on fishing to help preserve the fish stock and boost breeding activities. It’s a great opportunity for us that Bangladesh has acquired more maritime area, now it is for the government to decide in which areas we can fish,” BMFA General Secretary Moshiur Rahman Chowdhury told The Business Post.
Similarly, fishing vessel owners blamed the failure of authorities concerned in conducting ground fishing capacity surveys at deep-sea for not being able to use the vast resource to its maximum.
Even the ocean survey ship of the fisheries ministry cannot reach the deep sea due to its limited distance capacity. That’s why marine fish production has increased slightly despite the vast opportunity,” a fishing vessel owner said.
Marine fish experts say Bangladeshi industrial fisheries trawler can catch fishes in three areas of Bay of Bengal – swatch of no ground at Dublar Char of Bagerhat, middle ground at Barguna and South passages of Cox’s Bazar with an average of 300 metres in depth.
According to the Department of Fisheries, in FY2019-20, marine fish production was 6,89,105 metric tonnes; 6,59,911MT in FY2018-19; 6,54,687MT in FY2017-18; 6,37,476MT in FY2016-17; 6,26,528MT in FY2015-16; 5,99,846MT in FY2014-15; 5,95,385MT in FY2013-14; and 5,88,988MT in FY2012-13.
On the other hand, Bangladesh has already established itself as one of the top freshwater fish producers in the world.
However, the slow growth in marine fish production comes when the government has emphasised achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) by creating a blue economy.
Bangladesh has 267 industrial boats that can monitor fish reserves digitally with a maximum netting range of five kilometres.
Besides, 5,000 artisanal fishing boats (small and medium wooden boats) are licensed under the Department of Fisheries in Bangladesh, along with 68,000 mechanised and non-mechanised marine boats with a maximum range of 10-15 metre depth.

Md Sharif Uddin, chief scientific officer of Marine Fisheries Survey Management Unit of the Department of Fisheries, said, “Our industrial trawlers are not capable of entering the deep sea, but Thai and Indonesian vessels are catching fish, including tuna, across their entire maritime area without any baseline survey. They mainly depend on experienced sailors and fishing crew for this.

‘‘These licences were given to boat owners on a condition that they cannot catch fish within 40 metres depth. However, as these fishing boats get sufficient fish near the coast, they are less interested in buying modern boats using the permits,” Rear Admiral (retd) Md Khurshed Alam, secretary at the Maritime Affairs Unit of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told The Business Post.
He also mentioned that as large modern ships have the latest technologies to detect fish shoals, they do not need additional surveys to venture into the deep sea. “This is just an excuse for them,” he added.
Rownak Mahmud, secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, said the fisheries department had taken a pilot project to buy a modern vessel to catch tuna to motivate private fisheries companies to venture further into the deep sea.
Bay of Bengal filled with marine riches
Experts say Bangladesh’s warm climate, abundant annual rainfall and nutrients from the land enable a rich and highly productive environment in its maritime area in the Bay of Bengal.
Bangladesh ocean territory has a high stock of hilsa, shrimp, prawn, sardine, bombay duck, Indian salmon, foli chanda, jewfish, sea catfish, sharks, and other marine invertebrates such as squids.
Shrimps are mainly exported to Japan, while eel and squid go to China. An estimated 2,70,000 households are directly or indirectly dependent on the marine fishery.
Dr Roksana Jahan, assistant professor and chairman of the Department of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, said, “Bangladesh has established itself as one of the top freshwater fish producers in the world. We are now waiting for the same for marine fishing. To achieve this, both the government and the private sector need to work together.”
Prices of fishing boats
Industry insiders say an industrial steel-body fridgeder fishing trawler made by Denmark is one of the world’s best but is very costly.
Bangladeshi fishers use vessels made in Thailand, Taiwan and South Korea.
Thailand-made industrial fishing trawler costs around Tk 25-30 crore, Taiwan-made Tk 35-38 crore, Korean-made Tk 35-40 crore.
Western marine shipyard company of Bangladesh also builds industrial fishing trawlers, which can carry 300-500 tonnes of fish and produces ice on the boat, fishes are kept cool at minus 18 degrees Celsius. It usually stays in the sea for around one month with 45-50 crews.
The wooden boat used for sea fishing costs between Tk 20 lakh and Tk 1.5 crore, which can carry 50-80 tonnes, and stay at sea for at least 15 days while carrying ice from factories.




 
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Just like if GoB start exporting Sylhets Gas it also can be a huge foreign currency earner.

Ilish is a protein source and we need it.

Local demand first then export.

Bangladeshis eat way too much fish. Need to eat more meat and wheat and less rice and fish.

Explains the height differentials.

Bangladeshi boys are 5 foot four inches.

It’s a tragedy.

We should really be pusuing large scale fishing very deep in Bay of Bengal (closer to international waters) - an unlimited source of healthy, lean protein. While people in Bd no longer starve to death, malnutrition is rampant among the poor and even lower middle class due to unaffordability of highly nutritous food. The economies of scale associated with large scale deep sea trawling can kill malnutrition overnight while also open up a new major avenue for export.


Our present fishing industry is confined to near the coast due to lack of high endurance fishing trawlers that can spend weeks out at far ends of the Bay.

Look at the level of naivity prevalent among both public and private sector stakeholders on this issue:

====/=/====================

New maritime boundary yet to bring fishing benefits​

Hasan Al Javed
19 Aug 2021 00:00:00 | Update: 19 Aug 2021 00:04:59

New maritime boundary yet to bring fishing benefits

Despite being awarded an additional 19,467 square kilometres of maritime area in 2014, Bangladesh is far behind in utilising the full potential of its marine resources due to a lack of investment and the absence of modern fishing vessels.
Although fish production has increased slightly over the years, experts say Bangladesh currently uses roughly seven per cent of its entire maritime area when it comes to fishing at sea.

In 2014, The International Tribunal for the Law of the Seas (ITLOS), in a verdict, gave Bangladesh the sovereign rights of a total of 1,18,813 sqkm territorial sea, 200 nautical miles (NM) of exclusive economic zone and all kinds of animal and non-animal resources under the continental shelf.
With the additional maritime area, Bangladesh found a maximum depth of 2,200 metres at the edge of its maritime boundary. However, traditional oceanic industrial fishing trawlers in the country can reach a maximum depth of only 130 meters.
Talking to The Business Post, Bangladesh Marine Fisheries Association (BMFA), the trade body representing fish and shrimp harvesting companies in the Bay of Bengal, said lack of surveying and available data on marine resources have been limiting the capacity of the country’s deep-sea fishing sector.

‘‘There is no data on fishing capacity or risk assessment areas in the deep sea, and that is why fishing vessels do not cross the government predefined 1,7000 sqkm area or 130 metres in depth,” said BMFA President Nurul Qayyum Khan.
“If we have no data from the government regarding marine resources present at deep sea, then why we will make more investments in procuring bigger or modern vessels?’’ he questioned.
“All fishing vessels sit idle at the docks for almost 90 days as the government imposes bans on fishing to help preserve the fish stock and boost breeding activities. It’s a great opportunity for us that Bangladesh has acquired more maritime area, now it is for the government to decide in which areas we can fish,” BMFA General Secretary Moshiur Rahman Chowdhury told The Business Post.
Similarly, fishing vessel owners blamed the failure of authorities concerned in conducting ground fishing capacity surveys at deep-sea for not being able to use the vast resource to its maximum.
Even the ocean survey ship of the fisheries ministry cannot reach the deep sea due to its limited distance capacity. That’s why marine fish production has increased slightly despite the vast opportunity,” a fishing vessel owner said.
Marine fish experts say Bangladeshi industrial fisheries trawler can catch fishes in three areas of Bay of Bengal – swatch of no ground at Dublar Char of Bagerhat, middle ground at Barguna and South passages of Cox’s Bazar with an average of 300 metres in depth.
According to the Department of Fisheries, in FY2019-20, marine fish production was 6,89,105 metric tonnes; 6,59,911MT in FY2018-19; 6,54,687MT in FY2017-18; 6,37,476MT in FY2016-17; 6,26,528MT in FY2015-16; 5,99,846MT in FY2014-15; 5,95,385MT in FY2013-14; and 5,88,988MT in FY2012-13.
On the other hand, Bangladesh has already established itself as one of the top freshwater fish producers in the world.
However, the slow growth in marine fish production comes when the government has emphasised achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) by creating a blue economy.
Bangladesh has 267 industrial boats that can monitor fish reserves digitally with a maximum netting range of five kilometres.
Besides, 5,000 artisanal fishing boats (small and medium wooden boats) are licensed under the Department of Fisheries in Bangladesh, along with 68,000 mechanised and non-mechanised marine boats with a maximum range of 10-15 metre depth.

Md Sharif Uddin, chief scientific officer of Marine Fisheries Survey Management Unit of the Department of Fisheries, said, “Our industrial trawlers are not capable of entering the deep sea, but Thai and Indonesian vessels are catching fish, including tuna, across their entire maritime area without any baseline survey. They mainly depend on experienced sailors and fishing crew for this.

‘‘These licences were given to boat owners on a condition that they cannot catch fish within 40 metres depth. However, as these fishing boats get sufficient fish near the coast, they are less interested in buying modern boats using the permits,” Rear Admiral (retd) Md Khurshed Alam, secretary at the Maritime Affairs Unit of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told The Business Post.
He also mentioned that as large modern ships have the latest technologies to detect fish shoals, they do not need additional surveys to venture into the deep sea. “This is just an excuse for them,” he added.
Rownak Mahmud, secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, said the fisheries department had taken a pilot project to buy a modern vessel to catch tuna to motivate private fisheries companies to venture further into the deep sea.
Bay of Bengal filled with marine riches
Experts say Bangladesh’s warm climate, abundant annual rainfall and nutrients from the land enable a rich and highly productive environment in its maritime area in the Bay of Bengal.
Bangladesh ocean territory has a high stock of hilsa, shrimp, prawn, sardine, bombay duck, Indian salmon, foli chanda, jewfish, sea catfish, sharks, and other marine invertebrates such as squids.
Shrimps are mainly exported to Japan, while eel and squid go to China. An estimated 2,70,000 households are directly or indirectly dependent on the marine fishery.
Dr Roksana Jahan, assistant professor and chairman of the Department of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, said, “Bangladesh has established itself as one of the top freshwater fish producers in the world. We are now waiting for the same for marine fishing. To achieve this, both the government and the private sector need to work together.”
Prices of fishing boats
Industry insiders say an industrial steel-body fridgeder fishing trawler made by Denmark is one of the world’s best but is very costly.
Bangladeshi fishers use vessels made in Thailand, Taiwan and South Korea.
Thailand-made industrial fishing trawler costs around Tk 25-30 crore, Taiwan-made Tk 35-38 crore, Korean-made Tk 35-40 crore.
Western marine shipyard company of Bangladesh also builds industrial fishing trawlers, which can carry 300-500 tonnes of fish and produces ice on the boat, fishes are kept cool at minus 18 degrees Celsius. It usually stays in the sea for around one month with 45-50 crews.
The wooden boat used for sea fishing costs between Tk 20 lakh and Tk 1.5 crore, which can carry 50-80 tonnes, and stay at sea for at least 15 days while carrying ice from factories.





Brilliant post.

We are missing out on 2-3 billions worth of exports as well.
 
Bangladeshis eat way too much fish. Need to eat more meat and wheat and less rice and fish.

Explains the height differentials.

Bangladeshi boys are 5 foot four inches.

It’s a tragedy.



Brilliant post.

We are missing out on 2-3 billions worth of exports as well.
Actually, Bd malnutrition is despite fish eating not because of it. You can blame malnutrition on excessive carb consumption due to lack of affordable alternatives.
Besides deep sea fishing, we also do need to invest a lot more in dairy and meat production at scale.
 
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