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Protect traditional species of fish: President

UNB, Dhaka
President Zillur Rahman yesterday asked for taking effective measures for protecting country's traditional species of fish alongside developing aquatic biodiversity considering people's interest.
He said the fisheries sector contributes significantly to the GDP and has the potential for earning more foreign exchange.
“Not merely to fulfill the domestic demand, the fisheries export destinations will have to be extended to earn foreign currencies," he said while releasing fish fry into the pond in the Bangabhaban compound marking the National Fisheries Week (2009).
Describing Bangladesh as a naturally versatile and rich
country will) lots of marine resources, the president said country's all rivers, canals, ponds-tanks, haors-baors, sea and the natural wetlands are the fertile lands for fish cultivation. "Huge fishes are produced in these wetlands from time immemorial."
Zillur observed that production of fishes has mostly decreased in the country due to population growth, shrinkage of open wetlands and various manmade and natural causes as well as the diminish -ing of various species of indigenous tasty fishes. “Efforts will have to be made to protect our traditional species of fishes and develop watery biodiversity for the interest of the people."
Bangladesh has floodplains of 28 lakh hectares and the area increases during the rainy season. “At present some 500 organisations are involved in pisciculture and its marketing and management activities in about 450 floodplains," Zillur mentioned.
The president hoped that fish production and employ-menu would increase jn.xhe Voputty if the fisfyet are euit>- • vated in all floodplains by using modern methods and technologies. The slogan of the fisheries week of this year 'Fish Cultivation in Floodplains-Good Wind of Change' is letter-perfect, he said.
Zillur noted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has
declared a programme for making Bangladesh self-sufficient in food by 2013 alongside fish production under the roadmap of vision-2021, and the government has already taken various steps in this regard for developing and protecting the fisheries.
"Beside the government activities, all-out cooperation of the country's people is needed for complete implementation of these steps," he said.
The president urged all concerned to gear up the ‘social movement’ already created across the country for further extension of fish cultivation.
Pointing out the economic aspect, he said the fisheries sector has been playing an important role in creating jobs, earning foreign currencies and alleviating poverty in the country.
“I have come to know that the contribution fish production to the country’s GDP is some 3.74 percent in the fiscal year 2008-2009," he told his audience, adding that coun-
•f aoimaL .protehTfS^eff as fogie’4« percent of export earnings come from the fisheries sector.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdul Latif Biswas also spoke on the occasion while Rafiqul Islam, DG of the Fisheries Department, presented a report on Fish Cultivation in four ponds in the Bangabhaban area.