Having achieved self-sufficiency in production, the sector now faces a new goal—safe, environmentally friendly, technology-driven, and sustainable prosperity. The country has approximately 3.86 million hectares of inland open waters and 0.85 million hectares of closed water bodies. Additionally, the vast 118,813 square kilometres of maritime waters in the south constitute one of the country's primary reservoirs of fishery resources.
Under the theme 'Silver Fish, Self-Reliant Nation, Bangladesh Leading the Way,' National Fisheries Week-2026 is being observed across the country from August 16 to 30. This year's Fisheries Week is not just a celebration of production achievements; it is also a commitment to aquatic resource conservation, protecting fishermen's livelihoods, safe fish production, expanding exports, and harnessing the potential of the blue economy.
According to the Bangladesh Economic Review 2025, total fish production in the country rose to 5.255 million metric tons in the 2024-25 fiscal year. Fish supplies about 60 percent of the animal protein in our diet. Per capita daily fish consumption has increased to 67.80 grams, exceeding the set national requirement of 60 grams. This has further strengthened the fisheries sector's contribution to meeting the nutritional and animal protein needs of the people. The sector's importance in the national economy is also growing. The fisheries sector contributes 2.58 percent to the national GDP, 22.03 percent to agricultural GDP, and the GDP growth rate in the fisheries sector stands at 1.41 percent. Fish is now not only a source of nutrition but also a major foundation for employment, income, and economic activity.
More to Read
Bangladesh's international standing in fish production is also notable. According to the latest report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) titled 'The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024,' Bangladesh ranks first in the world in hilsa harvesting, second in inland water fish production, third in inland open water fish harvesting, fifth in closed water aquaculture production, and eighth in crustacean harvesting in marine and coastal waters. Behind these achievements lie years of effort by fish farmers, fishermen, researchers, entrepreneurs, and various government and private organisations.
Alongside increasing production, emphasis is being placed on conserving aquatic biodiversity. A total of 827 sanctuaries have been established in inland open waters. According to the Department of Fisheries, 454 sanctuaries were managed and repaired at a cost of Tk 18.160 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year. Under the project for conserving native fish species and snails, 120 demonstration farms and 32 sanctuaries have been established. Due to waterbody shrinkage, pollution, overfishing, and changes in natural habitats, many native fish species are at risk of extinction. Therefore, alongside fish production, protecting natural breeding grounds and habitats is now an essential part of fisheries management.
The country's aquatic biodiversity includes about 260 species of freshwater fish and 475 species of marine fish. However, among freshwater fish, 64 species are currently at various levels of extinction risk. To conserve and restore these valuable endangered fish, the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute has, through continuous research, successfully developed artificial breeding, fry production, and culture technologies for 41 threatened species. As a result of various government research, conservation, and integrated management initiatives, many native fish that were once on the verge of disappearance are now returning to natural waterbodies and are becoming increasingly visible in markets.
Hilsa, the national fish of Bangladesh, is one of the symbols of the fisheries sector's success. Overfishing, indiscriminate destruction of jatka (juvenile hilsa), and climate change pose major challenges to hilsa. Based on the 'Hilsa Management Action Plan' formulated in 2003-04, conservation efforts have evolved over time to include sanctuaries, bans, monitoring, fishermen support, and alternative employment opportunities.
According to the Department of Fisheries, total hilsa harvest in the country reached 500,000 metric tons in the 2024-25 fiscal year, accounting for about 10 percent of total fish production. Six sanctuaries with a total length of 432 kilometres are being managed to conserve hilsa resources. Alongside bans and law enforcement for hilsa protection, the livelihoods of fishermen are also receiving attention. In the 2025-26 fiscal year, under the mother hilsa and jatka conservation programmes, 40,000 fishing families received food supplies, and 987,141 fishing families received VGF rice assistance. Additionally, during the 22-day ban under the mother hilsa conservation programme, 15,503.501 metric tons of VGF rice was distributed; under the jatka conservation programme, 58,720.161 metric tons was distributed over four months; and during the 58-day sea ban, 24,165.625 metric tons of rice was distributed. Fishermen who refrained from fishing in Kaptai Lake received 1,610.701 metric tons of rice.
Under humanitarian assistance, families of 26 fishermen who died while fishing received Tk 50,000 each, and families of 13 missing fishermen received the same amount. One disabled fisherman received Tk 25,000. The aim is not just temporary food security but also to create alternative income opportunities during ban periods, thereby increasing fishermen's participation and social acceptance in fishery resource conservation.
Bangladesh's position in exporting fish and fishery products is also strengthening. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, 90,619.42 metric tons of fish and fishery products worth Tk 6,144.91 crore were exported. To further strengthen its position in the global market, cluster-based shrimp farming, HACCP-based quality control, world-class quality control laboratories, and e-traceability systems have been introduced. In the future, producing more fish alone will not be enough; safety, quality, and environmental standards must be ensured at every stage of production.
Among export-oriented fishery products, shrimp holds special importance. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, shrimp production reached 299,000 metric tons, and SPF bagda shrimp PL production reached 181 crore. Cluster-based management has been introduced in shrimp farming. Various development activities, including master plan formulation for shrimp estates in Chakaria Upazila, Cox's Bazar, are ongoing. To make coastal shrimp farming environmentally sustainable, salinity mapping, hydrological surveys, and re-excavation of 34 canals adjacent to shrimp farms are underway. The goal is to increase production while maintaining environmental balance and enhancing the acceptance of Bangladeshi shrimp in international markets.
A significant part of Bangladesh's fisheries sector's future potential lies in the Bay of Bengal. A 58-day fishing ban for all types of marine fish is enforced every year. A total of 62 marine surveys have been completed using R.V. Meen Sandhani. Additionally, the Dr. Fridtjof Nansen Fisheries and Ecosystem Survey 2025 was conducted. The survey identified 65 new marine species and found 5 potential new species for Bangladesh.
Through the declaration of Marine Protected Areas at Kuakata and Salimpur, protected areas have been established in approximately 10.54 percent of the Bay of Bengal's economic zone. To conserve marine biodiversity, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has declared Marine Reserves, Nijhum Dwip Marine Protected Area, and Naf Marine Protected Area. As a result, 8,101 square kilometres (8.64 percent) of the country's maritime waters have been declared protected, representing significant progress for Bangladesh in achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 14.5). These initiatives are making important contributions to the sustainable development of the country's fishery resources and the preservation of environmental balance.
The future of the fisheries sector being technology-driven is evidenced by the modernisation of government fish farms. Under the infrastructure development project, intensive culture technologies are being implemented through mechanisation in 31 farms. Initiatives have been taken to install IoT-based bottom liner technology in government farms.
The achievements of the fisheries sector are undoubtedly promising. However, to sustain this success, a balance must be ensured between production and conservation, as well as safe food. Climate change, waterbody shrinkage, pollution, overfishing, diseases, and the quality of production inputs—all pose major challenges ahead. To address these, emphasis is being placed on implementing the National Fisheries Policy 2026, expanding climate-resilient aquaculture, using smart and IoT-based technologies, developing improved fish strains, producing disease-free fry, and expanding PCR facilities in hatcheries.
Bangladesh's fisheries sector is now at a critical juncture. The goal is not just to produce more fish; it is safe fish, a healthy aquatic environment, protected fishermen, modern technology, and competitive exports. If production can be increased through science-based management while protecting the aquatic resources of rivers, haors, beels, floodplains, and the Bay of Bengal, the fisheries sector will become an even greater driving force for food and nutrition security, employment, foreign currency earnings, and economic growth in the future.
Transforming the achievement of self-sufficiency in fish into sustainable prosperity is now the demand of the times. This goal can only be achieved through the collective and responsible participation of the state, fish farmers, fishermen, researchers, entrepreneurs, traders, and the general public.
Author: Senior Information Officer, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock