Dhaka:Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid has announced a government plan to establish fish sanctuaries across various water bodies in Bangladesh to boost natural fish production.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the initiative, directed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, aims to set up sweet water natural fish sanctuaries in haors, baors, rivers, canals, and sea waters to revive fresh water fisheries. This announcement was made during a workshop on 'annual research progress 2025-26 and research planning 2026-27', organized by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) at the BARC auditorium.
The minister highlighted the decline in the number of native freshwater fish species due to habitat loss, overfishing, pollution, and climate change. He cited data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), noting that 64 freshwater fish species in Bangladesh are considered vulnerable to critically endangered, with 30 species extinct in the wild over the past 30 to 40 years.
BFRI has successfully revived 37 out of 67 species that disappeared from the wild through captive breeding programs and conservation efforts. The minister emphasized the importance of research in breeding, breed development, and recovery of indigenous fish species, as well as addressing climate change impacts and ensuring quality fish production.
State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku also stressed maintaining quality standards while boosting fish production. He highlighted the need to prevent water pollution and ensure an environment conducive to the natural growth of fish.
The event was chaired by BFRI Director General Dr. Md. Latiful Islam and attended by various officials, including university teachers, senior ministry officials, BFRI scientists, and fishermen representatives.