BANGLADESH FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE

1. Introduction The fish and fisheries are integral part of the culture and heritage of Bangladesh. The sector is quite significant in the country as it offers an important source of earning livelihood, foreign exchange and food supply. Keeping in view the immense potentials of fisheries sector in providing better nutrition and job opportunities, particularly to the poorest of the poor, and the urgency for optimum scientific utilization of the aquatic heritage, the President of the people`s Republic of Bangladesh was pleased to promulgate an Ordinance entitled “The Fisheries Research Institute Ordinance, 1984” on the 11 day of July 1984. In pursuance of this Ordinance the Institute was established in July 1984. In 1997 the Institute was renamed as Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI). Through the institute was established in 1984, it actually started functioning in 1986 with the recruitment of required manpower and creation of initial research facilities. Since then, the institute has been playing a key role in assisting the nation to achieve the goal of fisheries development as set out in successive development plans. The institute is an autonomous research organization and linked up administratively with the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. The general direction, administration and supervision of the affairs of the institute is vested in the Board of Governors. The headquarters of the institute is located in Mymensingh. The institute has 5 stations and 5 sub-stations based on different aquatic ecosystems. The overall research, training and management activities of the Institute are carried out in close cooperation and linkages with various national and international organizations/agencies. The international organizations are: WB/IDA, IDRC, FAO, UNDP, USAID, NACA, IFAD, ICLARM(World Fish), ACIAR, DFID, NORAD etc. The institute pays much importance to strengthening its capabilities of its scientists, administrative and management personnel through in-country and overseas long and short-term training, study tour etc. mainly overseas through WB/IDA, BTA, MONBUSHO, USAID, FAO/UNDP, IDRC etc. To transfer the technologies and management practices developed through research, the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute organizes regularly specific training programs to extension workers, farmers and others namely Improved fish culture management, Brood fish and hatchery management for seed production, Carp poly culture, Culture system for tilapia and cat fishes, Farming system research methodologies, Backyard shrimp hatchery, Fisheries and environment, Fish disease diagnosis and health management, Fish genetics resources, Shrimp culture and management etc. 2. Vision The vision of BFRI is to become a Center of Excellence on Fisheries Research to evolve aquaculture technologies, and management guidelines for open water fisheries to optimize sustainable harvest from national aquatic resources in consonance with environment, economics and equity and to assist the country in all matters relating to its fisheries R&D.

3. Responsibilities of the Institute

• To carry out basic and adaptive research for development and optimum utilization of all living aquatic resources and coordinate fisheries research activities in Bangladesh;

• To experiment and standardize techniques for maximizing productions and better management of living aquatic resources;

• To identify new production opportunities and develop them to usable levels; • To develop skilled research manpower through training; • To transfer the technologies to users through training of extension workers, planners, fish farmers

and other relevant persons; and • To advise the Government in all matters relating to research and management of living aquatic

resources. 4. Research Achievement till to date Since the inception of Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute it has been conducting research programs reflecting the national developmental needs and government policy. BFRI has so far innovated 49 improved aquaculture and management technologies through demand driven research.Among them 42 aquaculture & management and 7 biotechnological technologies have been evolved. A good no. of such technologies have been disseminated in the field in various degrees. During 1986 – 2013 fish production has increased more than two folds from 0.8 million mt to 3.30 million mt as result of dissemination of technologies.The institute has developed the following major technologies:

4.1 Fish stock improvement through genetic selection

• BFRI Rajpunti : 30-35% higher growth rate than normal breed • BFRI Super Tilapia : 43% higher growth rate than normal breed • BFRI Ruhu-1 : 12-16% higher growth rate than normal breed

4.2 Hormone sex reversal of BFRI GIFT strain • All-male tilapia production (98-100%) technique • Male has 25% higher growth rate than femail • More than 90 commercial hatcheries have been producing >150 core of monosex seeds adopting

BFRI technologies • Improved tilapia seed and grow-out technique

4.3 Brood development, breeding & seed production of Koi, Magur, Shingh

• Breeding and mass seed production technique of both endemic & exotic Koi (Anabas

testudineus) strains • Breeding and mass seed production technique of Magur (Clariasbatrachus)and Shingh

(Heteropneustesfossilis)

4.4 Brood development, breeding & seed productionPangas

• BFRI first evolved breeding technologyand mass seed production of Thai pangas in 1993 • Thai pangas culture technology has been developed in 1995 • The breeding, seed production and culture technology of Thai pangas adopted by the farmers,

entrepreneursthroughout the country • BFRI succeeded captive breeding of the native species of pangas in 2004

4.5 Brood development, breeding & seed production of Nona tengra

• Breeding and mass seed production technique of Nona tengra (Mystusgulio) • Such a success first time in the country for any brackishwater finfish species

4.6 Brood development, breeding & seed production of Parshe

• Success has also been achieved important brackishwater species in breeding of parshe (Liza parsia)

• Optimization is in progress

4.7 Brood development, breeding and seed production of Prawn

• Early (1-2 months) brood maturation and egg development of Prawn (Macrobrachiumrosenbergii) through controlling the winter season’s temperature

• Meanwhile BFRI tested this technology at farmers field in collaboration with KATALYST

4.8 Nursery & grow-out production of over-wintered fingerlings

4.9 Nursery & grow-out production of Pangas

4.10 Nursery & grow-out production of Shingh • Culture of shingh (Heteropneustesfossilis) • Stocking density: 7 – 8/m2 • Culture period: 7 – 8 months • Average individual weight: 60 – 70 g • Yield: 7.0 – 8.0 t/ha

• Culture of pangas (Pangasiushypophthalmus)

• Stocking density: 3/m2 • Culture period: 5 months • Average individual weight: 600 – 700

• Carp polyculture using over-wintered fingerlings

• Higher average individual weight gain at seven months of culture period

• Catla: 1.5 – 1.8 kg • Rohu: 0.7 – 0.8 kg • Mrigal: 0.8 – 1.0 kg

4.11 Culture of Thai koi (Anabas testudineus)

• Stocking density: 10 – 12/m2 • Culture period: 4 months • Average individual weight: 80-00 g • Yield: 4.0 – 5.0 t/ha

4.12 GIFT/monosex tilapia culture in cages

• Stocking density: 300 – 400/m3 • Culture period: 100 - 120 days • Average individual weight: 120 g • Yield: 30-50 kg/m3

4.13 Closed semi-intensive shrimp (Penaeusmonodon) culture

• Stocking density: 9 – 12/m2 • Culture period: 3 months • Average individual weight: 25 -30 g • Yield: 1.8 – 2.3 t/ha/cycle

4.14 Improved semi-closed shrimp culture

• Stocking density: 5/m2 • Culture period: 3 months • Average individual weight: 25 -30 g • Yield: 750 kg/ha/cycle

4.15 Improved mud crab (Scylla serrata) fattening

• Fattening duration in pond: 14-18 days • FD in cage: 7-12 days • Fish: 9-10 kg/dec/180 days • Maximum resource utilization • Increased income & improved household nutrition

4.16 Rice-fish culture system in freshwater environment

• Improvement in integrated freshwater rice-fish farming has been done • A rice yield of 4-5 t/ha along with a fish yield of 250-350 kg/ha • Increased production and additional protein food production

4.17Fish/shrimp disease diagnosis, prevention & control

• Extract of neem seed, neem leaf, turmeric &gerlic has resulted in significant positive effect on fish disease, particularly EUS.

• Relationship of fish and shrimp disease outbreak with ecological factors has been established and proper environmental management has been suggested.

• Fish/shrimp disease diagnosis, prevention & control • A serological Quick Diagnostic Protocol (QDP) has been developed for identification of different

bacteria in disease affected shrimp. • Test kits can be developed, following the technique for field level use.

4.18Biodiversity conservation & resource management

• Ex-situ conservation of the threatened fish species that could be bred artificially • Threatened fish genetic resources can be rehabilitated by adopting breeding technologies • Breeding and seed production technology for 12 species of threatened fish species • Fry/fingerling of induced bred threatened species has been released in nature for biodiversity

conservation

4.19BFRI for the first time assessed and identified the quantum of biodiversity loss due to natural shrimp post-larvae collection • For 1 PL catch, at least 100 – 750 other fish & shrimp larvae has been destroyed

4.20Biodiversity conservation & resource management of Hilsa

• Major four breeding and five nursery grounds, breeding and nursing season, migration and recruitment patterns of hilsha fish have been identified.

• Fishing ban for 11 days in spawning grounds increased 100-145% present jatka production than 2008 and 2009

• A new hilsha spawning/nursery ground (FIFTH) has been identified in lower padma • Areas have marked and ban period of catch suggested

4.21Research intervened fisheries policy/regulation/plan

• Government has enacted laws on collection of shrimp and prawn post-larvae from natural sources.

• Government has enacted laws on season-, location- and size-based hilsha/jatka harvesting. • Hilsha Fisheries Management Action Plan • Fish Feed Policy • National guidelines for Fish Biotechnology • National Fish Breeding Plan

5. Research progress during last five years

a. Establishment of new Shrimp Research Station in Bagerhat Enhancing shrimp production, shrimp health management, shrimp feed and nutrition, post-harvest handling and quality control of shrimp and shrimp products the new shrimp research station establish at

sadarupazila under Bagerhat District with an area of 8.0 ha. The station consists of 2 storied office-cum laboratory building, 3 storied staff dormitory and 4 storied training dormitory with 9 pond complex and one shrimp hatchery. March, 2011 Honorable PrimeMinister inaugurated this station.

b. Hilsafisheries management through conservation of jatka

Riverine Station of Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Chandpur has been working on the hilsa fisheries since 1986 and continuously recommending various measures to the Govt. specially identify 5jatka/hilsasanctuary for its increase sustainable harvest and conservation-management. Based on the research result on diversity and abundance of jatka (juveniles of hilsa) availability in the successive three years with its required water quality in the Hilzla-Mehendigonj of Barisal district where confluences of three rivers (branches of Meghna river like Nayabhangani, Lata and Dharmogonj) and area covered as 60 square kilometer (Nasakathis, Harinathpur and dhulkhola point of Hizlaupazilla and Bhasanchar point of Mehendigonjupazilla) are proposed to declare as jatka/hilsa sanctuary which would be treated as sixth jatka/hilsa sanctuary (Table 1 and Map 1) of the country. The proposed ban period is March-April. If we establish sixth jatka/hilsa sanctuary it will play a big role in hilsa production like other 5 hilsa sanctuaries in the country.

Table no. 1 : Areas of newly proposed jatka sanctuary and its ban period Area GPS point Total

area

Ban period

North-East

Nachakathi point of Hizla, Barisal

23002.75‘ N, 90036.74' E

60 square

kilometer

March-April North-West

Harinathpur point of Hizla, Barisal

22058.67‘ N, 90027.64' E

South-East

Dhulkhola point of Hizla, Barisal

22051.91‘ N, 90037.52' E

South-West

Bhasanchar point of Mehendigonj, Barisal

220.47.43' N, 90026.16' E

Map 1: Areas of newly (6t) proposed jatka sanctuary and its ban period

c. Pearl culture

BFRI successfully developed pearl culture technique in pond from fresh water mussel. Maximum 100 mg (average 50mg) weight of pearl was produced in 8 months.The image pearl is successfully produced within 6 months. Rice pearl produced in Bangovabon&Netrokona’s ponds. Three shapes such as round, rice and irregular were obtained. Another achievement that maximum 5 mm, average 2-3 mm pearl was obtained within 5 months. Four colours of pearl such as pink, white, ash and orange are produced successfully. Dissemination of technology is going on through farmer’s day, training & demonstration farm. About 300 female fish farmers were trained up about modern technique of pearl culture in pond.

d. Conserve of gene pool and develop breeding technology of threatened fish species

IUCN, Bangladesh has documented about 56 freshwater fish species have become critically or somewhat endangered. For conservation of gene pool and stock improvement of endangered fish species, development of induced breeding technology is of prior importance through which mass seed production could be ensured. Freshwater station of BFRI has developed artificial breeding and culture techniques on some of these threatened fishes (such as mahseer, gonia, bata, kalbaush, bhagna, pabda, gulsha, koi etc) with the aim of ensuring their conservation and rehabilitation. To conserve fish species in freshwater recently BFRI release 5000 fry of mahseer in Sumeswaryriver in Netrokona District.

e. Stock improvement of GIFT strain through further selection in Bangladesh

Tilapia is the leading species in Bangladesh aquaculture as the species is well adapted to Bangladesh condition, easy to propagate, grows fast, converts the artificial food very efficiently and tolerate the changes in water quality as well as disease compared to other cultured species. In last decades over 300 tilapia hatcheries have been established and producing about 4.0 billion fry. But most of the hatcheries are using inferior quality brood for the production of tilapia fry. There is a great demand of quality of tilapia seeds in the country. It is presumed that tilapia farming will largely be expanded both in small and commercial scales, so there will be an extreme need for huge number of quality seeds. To overcome this situation, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute has undertaken research work on genetic up gradation of GIFT through family selection protocol. This research results revealed that F-7 generation of GIFT strain has 43% higher harvest weight than that of the founder population.

f. Genetically improvedrohuLabeorohitastockdeveloped.

Rohu, Labeorohita, is the most popular species among endemic carps for aquaculture. Rohu contributes more than 22% of total aquaculture production of the country while around 24% of total fish production comes from all the four Indian major carps. Genetic stock improvement for the establishment of a brood bank with outbred selected population of rohu, Labeorohita, was attempted in 2000.Two wild caught populations from Brahmaputra and Jamuna and one domesticated stock of the Freshwater Station of Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (FS-BFRI), Mymensingh, were used in a diallellic mating design. The Family selection has been initiated with the F1rohu stock in 2008-09. Sixty progeny families of F2 were produced through a nested mating design between selected pair of female and male (2:1) i.e., milt from a common male separately fertilized eggs of two females and produced a pair of half sib family. Out of 80 breeding trials, the sixty progeny families of F3rohu stock has been already produced through pair mating using best selected female and male individuals (1:1) of F2 communal broods. The experiment will be performed to find out variations regarding growth among different families through PIT tagging and communal rearing for further selection. BFRI improved strain of F2rohu, through a field trial of experiment conducted for 6 months in 6 ponds are performed significantly (P<0.05) higher growth achievement at 16% compared to local existing stock.

6. Outstanding Innovation( National fisheries award received)

Gold Medal – 1997: Dr. M.A. Mazid, DG, BFRI Received for Significant Achievement of BFRI in

Technology Generation

Gold Medal – 2003: Dr. M. G. Hussain, DG, BFRI Technology generation - Genetically improved BFRI GIFT

strain and BFRI Silver barb strain

7. Current and Future Challenges In the past decade a wide range of changes affecting fisheries have taken place, including very large increases in fish production from all forms of aquaculture, declines in most capture fisheries, encroachment and degradation of natural resources, rapid urbanization, infrastructure investments that have negatively impacted fisheries, and increased pollution. Production from the eight million hectares of seasonal flood-land is by far the mostimportant component of the inland fishery, which includes floodplains, beelsand rivers. Asmonsoon water annually spreads across the floodplain, nutrients are released and primaryproduction explodes over a very wide area. So long as adequate recruitment is present, therefollows tremendous fisheries production. Unlike the inland fishery there is more of a commercial focus to the coastal andmarine fishery. Access to most coastal and marine waters entails the use of a boat and,except for river mouths and estuaries, motorized boats are a requirement. The industrialtrawl fishery can exploit deeper water fishery resources up to a depth of 50-200 m, and theprospects for exploiting the deepest waters have not been fully explored. It is generally agreed that both freshwater and brackish-water aquaculture willcontinue to grow at about 5.6% and 3.2% per year respectively, which is slower than the 20%per annum reported in the past decade. There is also a general consensus among mostauthorities that the capture fisheries, both inland and coastal/marine, are in decline, at rates ofabout 2.1% and 1.6% per year, respectively. There is not unanimous agreement with thisstatement, however, particularly regarding declines in the marine sector, and there is someevidence that deep water offshore stocks do offer some opportunities for the industrialtrawler fleet. Aquaculture specifically shrimp and prawn production which is also prime export earner, involves manufacture of numerous inputs such as feed, fertilizers, pesticides and veterinary drugs, as well as of technicaldevices for water treatment and pond operation. The off-farm post-harvestproduction links also include processors and marketing agents (packaging,transport, export-importers, consumers, quality control). In recent years ban on shrimp and prawn export make the sector more vulnerable. Loss of biodiversity and some other important factors/problems hinders the growth of fisheries sub-sector. The major causes of loss of biodiversity and the major problems of fisheries sub-sector are: i. Aggradations of habitats due to siltation

ii. Habitat alteration and fragmentation

iii. Over and indiscriminate fishing

iv. Disturbance to pre-spawning migration due to FCD/I projects

v. Over exploitation of swamp forests

vi. Unplanned road, culvert and bridge construction

vii. Water pollution due to domestic and industrial wastes and effluent

viii. Unavailability of quality fish seed

ix. Increasing use of agricultural inputs

x. Inadequacy in fisheries management

xi. Reluctance in obeying fisheries laws and regulations as well as weak enforcement of such laws

Gold Medal – 2009: Dr. Md. Jahangir Alam, CSO, BFRI Technology generation - Breeding of nona tengra; first time

for any brackishwater finfish species in the country

Gold Medal – 2010: Dr. M.G Hussain, DG, BFRI Technology generation - Genetic stock improvement of

BFRI Rohu

xii. Climate change implications

xiii. Inadequate extension services

xiv. Short term lease / high lease value

Challenges

i. Preventing habitat degradation due to anthropogenic and natural factors

ii. Reducing impacts of climate changes

iii. Popularizing vertical expansion of aquaculture

iv. Dredging rivers, canals, haors, baors and floodplains

v. Providing financial support

vi. Providing technical and mechanical support

vii. Applying laws and regulations

viii. Maintaining and conserving fish sanctuaries

ix. Competition in the international markets

x. Stabilising price of fish feed and other inputs

xi. Creating channels for appropriate price of fish and fishery products

xii. Preventing water pollution

xiii. Preventing genetic pollution

xiv. Maintaining fish-food safetyand quality

xv. Exploitation of marine resources

xvi. Adapting appropriate policies for development and management of fisheries resources

xvii. Maintaining and conserving fish biodiversity

Of the major long-term environmental concerns, global climate change is the most serious issue likely to affect Bangladesh over the coming decades. Although impacts of global warming are still far from precisely predictable, the prospect is sufficiently probable and alarming to warrant precautionary action at both national and international levels. Both coastal and freshwater fisheries are likely to be adversely affected by changing temperature, siltation, inundation and salinity regimes.

Capture fishery issues • Protect dry season water flows • Restoration of habitat and fish species; • Develop and implement fisheries management regulations • Integrated Coastal Fisheries Resource Management • Maintenance of ecosystem health andmanagement of pollution • Coping with climate changes.

Aquaculture issues • Stock improvement • Conservation of genetic diversity • Rationalization of farmed fish species

• Shrimp (Bagda) and prawn (Golda) production and value chain addition • Environmental carrying capacity • Food safety, quality control and disease prevention

Emerging issues While aquaculture has been progressing with reasonable success as a result of various technologies developed and disseminated, some new and challenging issues have cropped up in the process, which need to be seriously addressed to maintain the current growth of the aquaculture industry. Some of the important issues are listed below:

• Brood stock management and quality seed production, • Quality fish feeds and other farm inputs, • Threatened aquatic bio-diversity, • Infectious fish and shrimp diseases, • Quality of aquaculture and fisheries products, value addition and trade issues, • Pearl culture • Riverine fishery dynamics, • Livelihood changes of riverine and coastal fishermen, • HACCP and traceability with respect to shrimp export.

Fisheries research need tobe upgraded to continue the flow of technology generation. Various policies of other ministries impinge upon fisheries sub-sector development because these policies regulate the availability of, access to and use pattern of the open water bodies. These need to be coordinated and a necessary legal framework need to be formulated. Quality assurance in fish harvesting, processing, marketing and exportneed to be especially emphasised. Sub-sectoral Development Strategies and Policies Following measures are required to be taken for further development of the aquaculture to harness its production potential and to establish aquaculture as a profitable economic venture:

• Development of hatchery and nursery in private sector need to be encouraged to ensure availability of adequate quantity of quality fish seed all over the country.

• Ponds lying fallow due to multiple ownership or other reasons should be brought under aquaculture by promulgation and enforcement of laws.

• Integration of aquaculture with household farming and other rural development programmes based on land and waters to increase overall productivity and income of the farming community.

• Adoption of best management practices (BMP) for enhancing aquaculture production. • Establishment and strengthening of fish/shrimp disease diagnostic laboratories in the research

institutions for required assistance to farmers. • Fisheries extension and training programmes need to be strengthened to properly train and advise

fish farmers. Freshwater aquaculture research

• Development of breeding and culture technology of the endangered species and formulation of guidelines for their conservation

• Development of low-cost eco-region specific aquaculture technology for resource poor farmers • Quality fish feed development using conventional and non-conventional • Disease diagnostics and health management • Anticipatory research on aquaculture and fish habitats with climatic aberrations • Policy research on socioeconomic aspects of fishers and fishery

Coastal aquaculture research

• Breeding and seed production of shell and fin fishes • Development of improved culture technology of shrimp, fish and crab • Development of integrated or rotational aquaculture system • Disease prevention and quality control • Monitoring of estuarine ecology

Measures need to be undertaken for bringing improvement in inland open water fisheries:

• Fisheries need to be given due priority in the management and utilization of all open water bodies. • Restoration of depleted fisheries by stocking of fingerlings in manageable water bodies, particularly

floodplains, and managing them through community approach. • Allow natural fish recruitment through establishment of fish sanctuaries to enhance production of

open waters. • Bring all manageable open water bodies under culture-based capture fisheries management approach

to increase production. • Ensure alternate employment for fishermen to implement fishing ban during breeding season.

Inland open water fisheries research

• Conservation of inland open water fisheries resources • Hilsa fisheries management and conservation strategies • Improvement in the management technology for beels, haors and baors fishery • Refinement of pen and cage culture • Monitoring of carrying capacity of rivers • Population dynamics and assessment of hilsa and other riverine fishes. • Socio-economic impact and livelihood of fishers

Following measures should be undertaken for development of marine fisheries:

• Regular assessment of stock and proper monitoring of catch for effective regulation of the artisanal and trawl fisheries for sustainable production.

• Development of techniques for exploitation of deep-sea fisheries. • Assessment and utilization of shrimp by-catch and minimization of post-harvest loss by producing

value-added products. • Development of market infrastructure to reduce post-harvest loss. • Identification of pollution sources, impact on stocks and develop cleanup

Marine fisheries research

• Stock assessment of important marine species • Development of technology for seed production and culture of marine fish, molasses, and seaweed • Marine pollution and impact of environmental changes • Research for minimizing post-harvest loss and product development