Delay in deep-sea fishing irks PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is unhappy with the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock for dilly-dallying to catch fish in the deep sea. Following the verdict of an international tribunal three years ago, Bangladesh has acquired rights over this area in the Bay of Bengal. Permission was given to four fishing companies some months ago, but they are yet to get hold of trawlers and other required materials, sources in the ministry said.
The Premier expressed her dissatisfaction to the fisheries minister and senior officials. She asked them to invite foreign fishing companies for the job, the sources added. The ministry is planning to go for deep-sea fishing in collaboration with companies of Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives, according to the sources. The additional secretary in the ministry, Md Anisur Rahman, told The Independent that the Sri Lankan mission in Dhaka has expressed interest in joint deep-sea fishing, and said they will send a proposal within a week.
“After getting the proposal, we will take further steps. We are also planning deep-sea fishing with local or foreign companies on the basis of public private-partnership (PPP),” he added. The official said there are Indian companies that have experience in deep-sea fishing with long liner to catch tuna fish from the Bay by using small boats.
“If needed, we may ask them to catch specially tuna,” he added. The official also said that Japan, China, Australia and the Netherlands have expressed interest in deep-sea fishing, and their proposals are being looked into. Anisur Rahman said at least Tk. 100 crore will be required to go deep-sea fishing and it will be possible through joint collaboration with foreign companies. “If needed, we will hire fishing trawlers and manpower from abroad,” he said.
As rights have been established on the exclusive economic zone, Bangladesh is expecting a 15 per cent rise in fish catch there, if the area can be explored properly. At present, local firms do not have the capacity and technology to catch high-priced sea fishes, as they cannot catch fish beyond the depth of 200 metres.   Each year, local fishermen catch nearly 0.6 million tonnes of fishes from the sea. They use 174 trawlers and some 68,000 mechanised and non-mechanised boats. Local fishing trawlers catch fishes from six fishing grounds—Elephant Point, Kohinoor, West of Kohinoor, Middle Point, Swatch Point and Swatch in the Bay. According to the Department of Sea Fisheries, Bangladesh (DoSF), fishing trawlers can collected 50,000 tonnes of fishes from the deep sea.

 

Delay in deep-sea fishing irks PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is unhappy with the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock for dilly-dallying to catch fish in the deep sea. Following the verdict of an international tribunal three years ago, Bangladesh has acquired rights over this area in the Bay of Bengal. Permission was given to four fishing companies some months ago, but they are yet to get hold of trawlers and other required materials, sources in the ministry said. The Premier expressed her dissatisfaction to the fisheries minister and senior officials. She asked them to invite foreign fishing companies for the job, the sources added. The ministry is planning to go for deep-sea fishing in collaboration with companies of Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives, according to the sources. The additional secretary in the ministry, Md Anisur Rahman, told The Independent that the Sri Lankan mission in Dhaka has expressed interest in joint deep-sea fishing, and said they will send a proposal within a week. After getting the proposal, we will take further steps. We are also planning deep-sea fishing with local or foreign companies on the basis of public private-partnership (PPP), he added. The official said there are Indian companies that have experience in deep-sea fishing with long liner to catch tuna fish from the Bay by using small boats. If needed, we may ask them to catch specially tuna, he added. The official also said that Japan, China, Australia and the Netherlands have expressed interest in deep-sea fishing, and their proposals are being looked into. Anisur Rahman said at least Tk. 100 crore will be required to go deep-sea fishing and it will be possible through joint collaboration with foreign companies. If needed, we will hire fishing trawlers and manpower from abroad, he said. As rights have been established on the exclusive economic zone, Bangladesh is expecting a 15 per cent rise in fish catch there, if the area can be explored properly. At present, local firms do not have the capacity and technology to catch high-priced sea fishes, as they cannot catch fish beyond the depth of 200 metres. Each year, local fishermen catch nearly 0.6 million tonnes of fishes from the sea. They use 174 trawlers and some 68,000 mechanised and non-mechanised boats. Local fishing trawlers catch fishes from six fishing groundsElephant Point, Kohinoor, West of Kohinoor, Middle Point, Swatch Point and Swatch in the Bay. According to the Department of Sea Fisheries, Bangladesh (DoSF), fishing trawlers can collected 50,000 tonnes of fishes from the deep sea.