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A Background Paper on Bangladesh Fisheries

Md. Ferdous AlamMadan Mohan Dey

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BANGLADESH

The country is bounded by India in the north and west; by the Bay of Bengal in the south, and finally by part of India and Myanmar in the eastern side.

The total area of the country is 147,570 sq km (56,977 sq. miles).

A wide portion of land is covered by large rivers such as the Padma, the Jamuna, the Teesta, the Meghna, the Brahmaputra, and the Surma.

There are also thousandsof tributaries with a total length of about 24,140 km. These rivers are connected to the Bay of Bengal.

3

FISHERIES RESOURCES

1. Inland Open-waters : 4047316ha 84.75% (capture fishery)

2. Inland closed-water : 528390ha 15.25%

(culture fishery) Total inland area : 4575706 ha

100.00% 3. Marine water :166,000 sq km

FISHERIES POTENINTIAL

Fisheries have huge potential

Have one of the highest man-water ratio in the world (at 20 persons per ha of watet area)

Available sunlight and temperature throughout the year is an added advantage for fish production

Water fertility is conducive to fish growth

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FISH AND FISHERIES

Fish and fisheries are an integral part of the life of Bangladeshi Fish is a natural complement in the diet of

Bangladeshi Fish supplies 58% of animal protein 13 million people are involved for livelihood 73% of rural household are involved in freshwater

aquaculture and floodplains Fisheries contribute: 4.64% to the GDP 23.00% to agricultural GDP, and 5.10% to foreign exchange earning

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INLAND OPEN-WATERS (CAPTURE FISHERY)

Environment Water Area (ha)

i. Rivers and Estuaries 853,863

(21.10%)ii. Sundarban (water resources in forest)

177,700

(4.38%)iii. Beel (deepest part of the floodplain)

114,161

(2.82%) iv. Kaptai lake 68,800

(1.70%)v. Floodplain 2,832,792

(70.00%)Total inland open-waters 4,047,316

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Inland closed-water (culture fishery)

Environment Water Area (ha)

i. Ponds and ditches 30 5,205 (57.76%)

II Baor (ox-bow lake for hydro electricity

generation)

5,488 (1.04%)

iii. Shrimp Farms (freshwater and Brackish water)

217,877

(41.23%)

Total inland closed-waters

528,390

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Marine waters

Environment Water Area

i. Coastal Area 2.30 million ha

ii. Coast line (along the Bay of Bengal)

710 km

iii. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) 200-mile

Total Marine Water (including EEZ) 166,000 sq km

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Fish Production (2008-09)

Inland capture fisheries Production (ton)

Productivity(Kg/ha)

i. Rivers and estuaries 138,160 162 ii. Sundarban 18,462 104 iii. Beel 79,200 694 iv. Kaptai lake 8,590 125 v. Floodplain 879,513 310 Total 1,123,925

(41.61%)Inland culture fishery

i. Ponds and ditches 912,178 2991 ii. baor 5,038 918 iii. Shrimp/prawn farm 145,585 668 Total 1,062,801

(39.61%)Marine Fisheries 514,644

(19.05%)

Country Total 2,701,370

Fish Production Trend of Bangladesh

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

3000000

Year

Prod

uctio

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n)

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Fish production from different sources

0

200000

400000

600000

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1000000

1200000

Year

Pro

du

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ton

s)Inland captureInland culturemarine

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Fish production from inland culture sources

Fish production from inland culture fishery

0100000200000300000400000500000600000700000800000900000

100000011000001200000

1983-8

4

1984-8

5

1985-8

6

1986-8

7

1987-8

8

1988-8

9

1989-9

0

1990-9

1

1991-9

2

1992-9

3

1993-9

4

1994-9

5

1995-9

6

1996-9

7

1997-9

8

1998-9

9

1999-0

0

2000-0

1

2001-0

2

2002-0

3

2003-0

4

2004-0

5

2005-0

6

2006-0

7

2007-0

8

2008-0

9

Year

Pro

du

cti

on

(T

on

s)

Ponds BaorsShrimp farms Total aquaculture

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Prawn/shrimp production over time by sources

0

25000

50000

75000

100000

125000

150000

175000

200000

225000

250000

27500019

90-9

1

1991

-92

1992

-93

1993

-94

1994

-95

1995

-96

1996

-97

1997

-98

1998

-99

1999

-00

2000

-01

2001

-02

2002

-03

2003

-04

2004

-05

2005

-06

2006

-07

2007

-08

2008

-09

Year

Pro

du

ctio

n (

ton

)inland openwater inland cultureMarine Total

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Hilsha harvest over time by sources

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

35000019

90-9

1

1991

-92

1992

-93

1993

-94

1994

-95

1995

-96

1996

-97

1997

-98

1998

-99

1999

-00

2000

-01

2001

-02

2002

-03

2003

-04

2004

-05

2005

-06

2006

-07

2007

-08

2008

-09

Year

Pro

duct

ion

(tons

)

Inland waters Marine waterTotal

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Fish Production Growth (1983-84 to 2008-09)

Fishery Exponential growth rate

(%)

Rank

A. Inland capture fishery 3.78

i. Rivers and estuaries -1.48 9 ii. Sundarban 4.64 5 iii. Beels 2.70 8 iv. Kaptai Lake 4.28 7 v. Floodplain 6.34 4

B. Inland culture Fishery 9.69

i. Ponds 9.63 2 ii. Baor 7.48 3 iii. Shrimp farms 10.37 1C. Marine Fishery 4.34

i. Industrial fishery 4.59 6 ii. Artisanal 4.28 7 Total (all fisheries) 5.61

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Fish Biodiversity

There are 300 species of fish and 20 species of prawns in Bangladesh.

The most common species is ilish (national fish)

60 native and 13 exotic species of fish and 20 species of shrimp in inland freshwaters.

The major and minor indigenous carps are (katla, rohu, mrigel and kalbasu) and (bata, reba, nandin and gonia).

Introduced exotic species are silver carps, grass carp, bighead carp, black carp, common carp, silver barb, Tilapia and Mahseer

Indigenous carps (Rohu, Catla and Mrigal) and one exotic carp (silver carp) accounts for about 74% of pond production.

Other major cultures species in Bangladesh include the grass carp, common carp, tilapia and Pangas.

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Threat to Biodiversity

Number of freshwater species is declining at an alarming rate with some species, in recent years, having become extinct.

According to the Red Book figure, about 54 freshwater species are critically or somewhat endangered in the country. Among them 14 species are listed as critically endangered; 27 as endangered and 14 s vulnerable (IUCN, 2000).

Overfishing, rapid extraction of fish seed and broodstock, destructive and unregulated fishing practices, pollution, introduction of exotic species, loss of aquatic habitat due to siltation, dam construction, and other anthropogenic activities have been the major causes of fish species loss.

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Intensity of technology use

Technology Intensity Technollogy Intensity

Mixed culture of carps

IE, SI Sorpunti culture IE

Integrated Fish Culture

IE, SI Pangas culture IE

Composite culture of carps and freshwater prawn

IE, SI Galda IE

Culture of Tilapia IE, SI Bagda E, SI

Culture of Exotic magur

IE, SI, I

Fish culture in cages

SI, I

Fish cultutre in Pen IE

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Processing and export

No. of Fish processing plant: 133 Most of them are in Khulna and Chittagong Capacity far outstrips supply (18-20% capacity

utilization) Product sale comprises 72% unprocessed (frozen

whole) product, 24% prepared/preserved and 4% other products (frozen freshwater fish)

Main markets are USA (40%), EU (UK, Netherland, Belgium,

Germany) 39% Demand is strong for Bagda and Golda Freshwater fish are exported for expatriate

Bangladeshi communities

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Fisheries Export

Year Total export

(tons)

Total value (Million Taka)

% of total export earning

1999-00 39391 18115.6 6.282000-01 38988 20327.5 5.77

2001-02 41482 16371.4 4.76

2002-03 47371 19415.9 5.10

2003-04 54141 23634.7 5.71

2004-05 63377 25712.2 5.90

2005-06 68829 30298.4 4.56

2006-07 73704 33528.9 4.902007-08 75299 33962.8 4.04

2008-09 72888 32434.1 3.00

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Fisheries Export Trend

Quantity and Value of fish and fisheries products exported

y = 2978.3x + 21182

y = 1635.5x + 5207

0

10000

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70000

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Val

ue o

f exp

ort (

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Qty. exported value of exportLinear (Qty. exported )Linear (value of export)

Export of fish and fish products 2008-09

Frozen shrimp/prawn Live fishFrozen fish DryfishSalted &dehydrated fish Turtle/Tortoise, crrab & eelShark fin and Fish Maws Others

Export itemsQty (ton)

% of total

Frozen shrimp/prawn 50368 69.103

Live fish 0.3 0.000

Frozen fish 19294 26.471

Dryfish 341 0.468

Salted &dehydrated fish 84 0.115

Turtle/Tortoise, crab & eel 1217 1.670

Shark fin and Fish Maws 276 0.379

Others 1308 1.795

 All items72888.

3 100.000

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A Generalized Marketing Channel

Collection center/rural market within the fishing area. Operated by collectors

PRIMARY MARKET

First landing and distribution center near thana headquarters or vital communication points. Market operated by commission agents called aratdars

SECONDARY MARKET

Second landing & distribution center in cities/towns.Operated by commission agents called aratdars

HIGHER SECONDARY MARKET

Retail marketing. Paikars sell to retailers

FINAL CONSUMING MARKET

Sub-urban retailing

Urban retailing

Rural retailing

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Domestic Marketing Channel (Public sector)

Consumers

Retailers

Aratdars

Beparies`

Brokers

BFDC

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Market Channel and Share (culture fish)

Consumer

Paiker/ Retailer

Aratdar

Bepari

Fish Farmer

Nikari82.85%

HomeConsumption

7.15%10%

75.6%

75.6%

92.85%

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Marketing profit of frozen and dryfish (Taka/Kg)

Markets Major frozen species

Minor frozen species

Processing plants for frozen /dry species

Primary 9.43 6.56

Secondary 3.14 4.06

Consumer 13.53 8.49

All market 26.10 19.13 98.94 / 90.12

Ahmed (2009) showed that total marketing margin of tilapia is 31%: 5% (primary market), (15%) secondary market and (11%) retail market

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Producer’s share to consumer price

Author Producer share(%) Species types

Rahman (2009) 40-45 Freshwater Fish

Khan (1995) 45.60 , 83.44 Freshwater Fish

Islam (1997) 59.63, 65.11 shrimp

Mia (1996) 56 Marine fish

Ahmed (1983) 51-63

60-63

Freshwater and marine speciesMarine species

Ahmed (2007) 55 Hilsha

Ahmed (2009) 69 Tilapia

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Data availability

Fisheries data are generated mainly by three organizations:

1. Department of Fisheries : This publication provides details of production statistics

by fisheries resources, species, districts, upazilas and export statistics of fish and fish products. Unfortunately, the publication does not provide any information of fish prices.

2. Department of Agricultural Marketing : DAM maintains retail prices, wholesale prices and

growers prices of different markets under upazillas and districts of different divisions.

3. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics : BBS produces annual price statistics of some selected

fish species in its annual publications, Yearbook of Statistics and Statistical Pocket Book of Bangladesh.

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Market/marketing Review of Studies

• Marketing studies of crops are plenty• Fish marketing studies are very scanty• Most fish marketing studies are conducted in BAU• Most studies relate to kind of price spread and

marketing margin• Few market integration studies exist that are

methodologically very shallow (correlation approach)• Most studies are done with limited sample• No representative structure-conduct-performance type

study exists• Supply chain, value chain and price spread type studies

are confusing• No existence of studies related to price transmission

and price linkage across different market levels