In the heart of Asia's largest and the world's most populated delta, Bangladesh's sprawling maritime domain spans over 118,000 square kilometers in the Bay of Bengal. Despite this vast marine territory, which can reach a depth of about 2,200 meters, the use of fisheries resources is currently confined to a shallow depth of approximately 80 meters. This is about one-third of the exclusive economic zone of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s maritime sector holds immense potential for the development of its coastal and marine fisheries resources. However, the sector faces significant challenges, including overfishing, capture of juvenile stock, and illegal trawling. These factors contribute to further depletion of fish stock and degradation of marine ecosystems.
The World Bank-supported Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project aims to improve fisheries management, expand mariculture, and strengthen aquaculture biosecurity and productivity in Bangladesh. The project has helped increase vessel registration and licensing for fishing five-fold, with the number of artisanal vessels with valid registration and licenses increasing to 8,247 as of September 2023. It is also helping set up community co-management associations with fishing communities to adopt supplementary and alternative livelihoods.
Recently, Bangladesh took an important step toward improving the sustainability of fishing resources in coastal areas by establishing a monitoring system called the Joint Monitoring Cell (JMC) along with its Coordination Committee (JMCCC). The JMC includes experts from 13 public agencies to ensure sustainable fisheries through real-time monitoring activities aimed at conserving aquatic biological stock and reducing destructive fishing practices.
According to the Department of Fisheries (DoF), the fisheries industry contributed 2.08 percent to overall GDP and 21.83 percent to agricultural GDP in 2022. As of 2023, the marine fishing fleet consists of 231 active industrial large trawlers and about 30,000 artisanal smaller vessels operating from over 200 landing sites along the coast. Despite its considerable size, only around 14,600 sq km (12 percent) of Bangladesh’s continental shelf area is commercially significant fishing grounds that are overexploited.
The Fisheries Management Plans indicate that current practices permit increasingly excessive fishing and recommend curbing the growth of the artisanal fleet. Recent marine stock assessment reports state that bottom trawlers and shrimp trawlers contribute significantly to overfishing shrimp stocks.
Recognizing these challenges, Bangladesh has established a multi-surveillance powerhouse—the JMC—to oversee monitoring within its exclusive economic zone. The JMC unites several government agencies such as DoF, Bangladesh Navy, Coast Guard, Mercantile Marine Office, River Police among others.
"Reaching a consensus and setting up a participatory body like the JMC is a complicated and time-consuming process," said Mr. Syed Md. Alamgir, Director General of Department of Fisheries. "However without an inclusive approach development processes are unsustainable."
"We hope agencies can now share resources knowledge skills," added Mr. Zia Haider Chowdhury Project Director Bangladesh Sustainable Coastal Marine Fisheries Project.
The JMC uses advanced tracking technologies like Vessel Monitoring System Automatic Identification System Global System for Mobile track movement identify unauthorized activities address violations enforce compliance national international laws ensuring safety fishermen promoting responsible practices.
As Bangladesh grapples with complexities resource management JMC stands strategic response collaboration technological integration commitment sustainability charted course future where resources conserved environment protected legacy safeguarded generations come World Bank supported project heading towards improved management expanded mariculture strengthened biosecurity productivity.
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