A fish farmer casting his net in Khulna, Bangladesh. (Photo: Jeya Jeevan, 2012/The WorldFish Center)

Agreement signed to expand aquaculture sustainably

BANGLADESH
Tuesday, July 31, 2012, 23:50 (GMT + 9)

The WorldFish Centre (WFC) and Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the joint expansion of sustainable aquaculture.

Joint promotional activities including holding meetings, dialogues, conferences, research, demonstrations and advocacy initiatives would now be set up to develop the conservation of natural fish species and shrimp seed in Bangladesh.

Detector general of WorldFish Centre Dr Stephen J Hall and BSFF Chairperson Syed Mahmudul Huq signed the MoU.

Per the agreement, support would be offered for joint activities relating to making the shrimp and freshwater prawn industry more sustainable, while stressing practical ways to minimise food safety risk concerns in the eyes of national and international consumers, Financial Express reports.

The MoU also highlights social and environmental issues and boosting the economic and trade benefits from shrimp and prawn farming.

There is a target of producing 3.54 million tonnes of fish by 2021 as part of the country's Millennium Development Goal (MDG), of which 57 per cent is anticipated to be sourced from aquaculture, according to the Bangladesh Fishery Sector Road Map. This makes the MoU paramount.

Officials said that the current joint venture between the two parties makes for a highly positive contribution to push growth in the sector in a socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable way, while remaining in compliance with nationally and internationally recommended rules, regulations and practices.

"Bangladesh will have to go a long way to achieve the much-desired protein food security, aquatic food safety, new employment generation, poverty reduction and overall economic development of the country," officials stated.

BSFF is a non-profit private research and advocacy organisation dedicated to providing services and support to the country's aquaculture-based shrimp and fish industry. Its mission is to help drive the growth of the shrimp and fish industry on an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable basis.

BSFF achieves its mission through dialogues, conferences, research, demonstrations and advocacies.

By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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