Productivity of local species of fishes to be enhanced

The government is set to take a project involving Tk 500 million for the development of Kaptai Lake, officials said.

As part of the move, the Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) started the process of the project to increase the productivity of local varieties of fishes in the lake.

"We will take a project worth Tk 500 million in the next fiscal for the development of Kaptai Lake and increase productivity of fishes," chairman of BFDC Dilder Ahmed told the FE.

Kaptai Lake on 68,000 hectres of land in Rangamati is considered to be a vital source for catching fishes of different local varieties.

He said that the proposed fund will be spent for the development of hatchery situated adjacent to the lake owned by BFDC.

Besides it will also ensure safety of the lake and stop illegal catching of fishes through strong monitoring.

Around 22,000 fishermen are involved with the fishing at Kaptai Lake.

They had caught fishes worth Tk 10 million during the last fiscal.

The BFDC got 10 percent out of Tk 10 million as surcharge from the fishermen.

Mr Ahmed further said that they have identified seven places in the lake for natural spawning of fishes.

At present the BFDC is releasing fish fries from the hatchery to the lake.

There will be abundant of carp types of fishes in the lake as it will get huge quantity of fish fries from the seven fish spawning places.

The Kaptai Lake has all the potential for productive fish farming. The carp species' of fishes had dropped significantly in the lake, in the space of just 30 years.

Mr Ahmed further said that the state minister for fisheries and livestock Md Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru directed them (BFDC) to reduce the number of smaller fish for increasing carp fishes in the Kaptai Lake.

He said that the as per the junior minister directives, the BFDC held a meeting last week for better management and fisheries strategies for increasing fish population in Kaptai Lake.

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