Chattogram: Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has emphasized the necessity of regional and global collaboration to address the crisis caused by illegal and uncontrolled fishing in the seas. "The marine resources are also impacted by the adverse effects of climate change, and such problems cannot be dealt with by any single country," she noted while speaking as the chief guest at an international conference.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Adviser highlighted the importance of good governance and scientific management for sustainable maritime development. She urged the execution of a blue economic strategy, considering the growing significance of oceans in the context of global climate changes. The 4-day international conference titled 'Marine Fisheries and Blue Innovations: Safeguarding Ocean Harmony' was organized by the Institute of Marine Science, Chattogram University, where she attended as the chief guest on the second day.
The conference also featured a welcome address by CU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md Yahiya Akhter and a keynote presentation by Prof. Dr. Pierre Failler from Portsmouth Business School, UK, discussing the 'Execution of Global Blue Economy: Challenges, Experiences, and Strategic Insight for Bangladesh'. Special guests included DG of Directorate of Fisheries Dr. Md Abdur Rauf and CU Pro-VCs Prof. Dr. Shamim Uddin Khan and Prof. Dr. Md Kamal Uddin, along with Dr. Sk Aftab Uddin Akmed, Director of CU Institute of Marine Sciences.
The conference saw participation from at least 200 researchers, scientists, students, and representatives from public and private organizations worldwide, including the USA, Russia, UK, China, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The discussions were divided into seven sub-themes covering climate change, sustainable marine management, and future fisheries management plans.
During her speech, Farida Akhter mentioned the opportunity to develop a sustainable future maritime management strategy through scientific policy formulation and community development, aligning with the national priority of the Blue Economy. Although Bangladesh has made significant progress in fish production, she stressed the importance of ensuring reasonable fishing, technological innovation, and science-based policy formulation for sustainable maritime management.
Referring to the EAF-Nansen Programme 2025 survey findings, she revealed a concerning reduction in the stock of small fish species in the Bay of Bengal, dropping from 158,000 MT to 33,811 MT over the last seven years, representing a 78.6% decrease. This reduction in big hunter fish has led to a rapid increase in jellyfish, posing a serious threat to the ecological balance. She emphasized the urgent need to address ecosystem maintenance in the Bay of Bengal.
The Adviser concluded by highlighting Bangladesh's abundance of efficient researchers and scientists, underlining the need for ecosystem preservation, long-term maritime policy formulation, and climate-resilient fisheries management.