Bangladesh’s marine fish stocks are declining at an alarming rate because of illegal, unregulated and excessive harvesting in the Bay of Bengal, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has warned.
Speaking at a briefing on the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF)-Nansen Survey 2025 in Dhaka on Sunday, she said preliminary findings from the latest RV Dr Fridtjof Nansen survey signal an urgent need to rethink the country’s marine fisheries management.
Key Findings and Concerns
Farida said the survey reveals an overall reduction in fish stocks driven by overfishing and destructive fishing gear.
She said that among the country’s 273 industrial trawlers, 72 operate with advanced technology that is being misused—causing excessive by-catch and significant wastage.
The adviser also highlighted worrying environmental indicators in the Bay, including low-oxygen zones, expanding oxygen-depleted areas, high microplastic pollution and unusual jellyfish blooms.
These trends, she said, are ‘clear warning signs’ of a marine ecosystem under severe stress.
Call for Immediate Action
Farida called for stricter controls on the issuance of industrial trawler licences and tighter regulation of trawler-based fishing. The government will convene a meeting with scientists, researchers and stakeholders after receiving the final report in mid-December to determine next steps.
“We will not receive the report and sit idle. Prompt, science-based measures are essential if we want to safeguard the Bay for future generations,” she said.
She also urged continued support from the Norwegian government and FAO for future surveys in 2027–28, emphasising Bangladesh’s need for its own research vessel.
Scientific Capacity and Biodiversity Findings
Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Abu Tahir Muhammad Zaber said Norway and FAO have significantly strengthened Bangladesh’s scientific survey capacity.
Low pressure over Southwest Bay of Bengal intensifies into well-marked low
He described the 2018 Dr. Fridtjof Nansen survey as a milestone—the first modern ecosystem-based assessment since the country’s maritime boundary was settled.
This year’s month-long survey (21 August–21 September 2025) identified 475 fish species, 36 shrimp species, 5 lobster species, 15 crab species, 5 turtle species and 13 coral species.
Scientists also recorded 65 new fish species, including five found only in the Bay.
Marine scientists cautioned that climate change, pollution and widespread environmental degradation are intensifying threats to marine life and called for immediate collective action.