The eighth session of the Indian Ocean Fishery Commission (IOFC) for the de vclopmcnt and management of fisheries in the Bay of Bengal began In the city Saturday, with an objective to formulate correct strategy for conservation and rational utilisation of living marine resources and ecology, reports BSS.
The seven day session was formally Inaugurated by Minister for Forest and Environment and Fisheries and Livestock Abdullah al-Noman, who was the chief guest on the occasion.
Being held at the Hotel Sonargnop. the inaugural session was presided over by Fisheries and Livestock Secretary AZM Nasiruddtn. State Minister for Fisheries Ooycswar Chandra Roy attended the function as special guest. Assistant Director General of FAO AZM Obaldullah Khan. Director. Fisheries AK Ataur Rahman, Director Fisheries Operation FAO. Y Kato and Joint Secretary Fisheries Department MM Abdul Matin also spoke at the Inaugural session.
The 17th advisory committee meeting of Bay of Bengal Programme (BOBP) which deals with responsible fishing and sustainable development of fisheries resources, Is also being held together with the eighth session of IOFC.
A total number'of 47 resource persons from eight member-countries Including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Shri Lanka, Maldives, India. Myannjar and host Bangladesh are pqriietpating in the session.
In his inaugural speech Abdullah al-Noman emphasised the critical need for renewed government and donor efforts
for designing sustainable poverty alleviation pro grammes in fisheries sector to face the intense pressure on limited land and other natural resources as well as tackling environment and population issues.
Noman said that Bangladesh, having fishing grounds in the Bay of Bengal including 480 km of coastline, is ri< h in aquatic resources for iish production, lie said, that Bangladesh has limited access to marine fish resources for the lack of technology and appropriate vessels and gears.
The minister said that marine fishery employ around 40 per cent of 1.25 million full-time fisher folk engaged in the fisheries sector. In addition there are about two million part-time fishermen and women whose number peaks during the fishing season. Of them, the minister said, around 90 per cent marine fish catches arc taken by artisanal fishermen while the remaining five per cent by the .industrial trawlers.
The minister said that the country's fisher-folk arc not capable enough to harness valuable marine resources because they have little access to basic infrastructure Including credit facilities.
Describing the pitiful conditions of the poor fishermen, the minister said that BOBP programme under the auspices of FAO has made substantial contributions towards the wellbeing of the fishermen including provision of training, group formation and supply of Inputs.
In this connection the Minister said that the global contribution and cooperation are essentia) to alleviate poverty. Any act of cooperation
in this-respect inqeed epitomises the unity of mankind and it denotes the singularity of mind and spirit, defying man-made territorial identifications, the Minister maintained.
Referring to the merciless vagaries of nature on our national life, the minister said that the present government was trying its best to minimise the environmental degradation and the action programmes taken require solitary support from the friendly nations and International agencies.
The minister hoped that the participants of the session would give due thrust during their deliberations on development and management strategy for harnessing the aquatic resources in the Bay of Bengal. He also hoped that the deliberations of the experts in ill- session would come up with rcconimciKl.ilions which would help the relevant coun tries improve working efficiency.
Goyeswar Roy said that the present government had fo-cussed its attention to develop and utilise the marine resources to improve the supply of fish in Ihe country and to earn more foreign exchange to help mobilisation of internal resources for al) round dcvcl-opmenl in adherence to the professed policies of the democratic government.
Roy said that in order to improve' the fishing industry in the country ft is imperative to improve sorfo-economic con-dilfon of the core population by providing more employment opportunities in the form of various fishing operations as well as other ineome generating activities.
AZM Obaldullah Khan said that the BOBP would help in forging closer cooperation' in
fisheries development and management among Ihe' Bay of Bengal countries.
Dwelling at length on the success, already achieved since the establishment of BOBP in 1981, Khan pointed out that fisheries production by the member countries bordering the Bay of Bengal has increased from 8.7 million metric tons in 1982 to 12.7 million metric tons in 1991.
Quoting the observation of the- recently held 95th session of the FAO council. Khan said that the rising demand for fish could be met by managing the fishery resources in a rational and timely manner, by seeking utilisation of fish through the reduction of post-harvest losses including catch discards and by accelerating aquacul-lural development.
Y Kato said that traditional knowledge of the local people should be Involved for getting maximum production in hauling marine resources. He suggested that appropriate actions should be taken on priority basis to stop further degradation of the ecological condition of the Bay of Bengal.
Kato stressed the need for common research endeavours by ihc members countries and massive exchanges of knowledge and experiences among the concerned countries for better development and harnessing the fish resources in the region.
In his presidential speech AZM Nasiruddtn said that the session would give thrust on "fisheries and environment" besides dwelling at length on "research needs ". In this connection he said, "we should explore the possibilities for joint research programmes for mutual benefit of the participating countries."