Bangladesh starts trial tuna fishing from Bay in February

Tuna catching from Bay in the offing:

Marine exploration:

• Bangladesh has a 1.19-lakh square km exclusive economic zone in the Bay
• But it only extracts marine resources from four regions totalling 24,000 square km
• Bangladesh extracts marine resources from a depth of only 100 metres
• But tuna and related pelagic fish are caught from depths of 200 metres

Pilot project details:

• Initial pilot project duration: from July 2020 to December 2023 
• Later extended to June 2025
• Project cost reduced to Tk55.21 crore from Tk61.06 crore
• Two ships to be imported from China at a cost of Tk24 crore
• Fishing to be conducted at a depth of 200 metres with longline method
• Aims to stimulate private sector involvement and export tuna fish

The Department of Fisheries plans to start fishing of tuna and similar pelagic fish in the Bay of Bengal's exclusive economic zone and international waters in February of next year on a trial basis.

Although Bangladesh has a 1.19-lakh square kilometre exclusive economic zone in the Bay, it only extracts marine resources from four regions totalling 24,000 square kilometres, with a depth of only 100 metres. As a result, tuna and related pelagic fish that are caught from depths of 200 metres remain elusive.

Due to the absence of any survey in the maritime zone, the tuna fishing has not been initiated, even though at least 19 firms have been granted permission. To encourage domestic investors, the Department of Fisheries has undertaken the pilot project.

If the trial run to assess catching of tuna and its availability is successful, the Department of Fisheries believes that the sector has the potential to attract new private investments, opening a new frontier in Bangladesh's blue economy.

The Department of Fisheries will import two ships from China in February next year at Tk24 crore. It has planned to fish tuna with a longline, a heavy fishing line that has baited hooks in series, through this experimental project with a crew of 30.

Department of Fisheries Director General Khandkar Mahbubul Haque told The Business Standard, "There is a widespread demand for tuna in various countries around the world. In Bangladesh, canned tuna is imported. If the tuna-catching project proves successful, it will open up new avenues in the maritime fishery sector, particularly in the blue economy. Opportunities for tuna exports to Japan and various European countries will be created."

Although the project was initiated from July 2020 to December 2023, it has recently been extended until June 2025, an additional 18 months. While the project cost was initially set to be Tk61.06 crore, with the decision to acquire one less vessel, the project expenses have now been reduced to Tk55.21 crore.

Regarding the decision not to purchase a vessel within the specified timeframe, Jobaidul Alam, director of the project, told TBS that due to a financial crisis, there has been a directive from the Ministry of Finance since July 2022 to refrain from purchasing vessels, both marine and aerial. "This directive is still in effect. However, under a special government approval, two vessels are being procured for this project. The cost for acquiring these two vessels is Tk24 crore."

These vessels are being purchased from Uni Marine Services Pte Ltd of China, he said.

According to the Department of Fisheries, tuna fishing in the region is regulated under the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. The commission comprises 30 member countries, and Bangladesh became a member on April 24, 2018. India, Maldives, Indonesia, Pakistan and other countries near Bangladesh regularly catch tuna in their own and international waters.

Shawkat Kabir Chowdhury, assistant director of the Fisheries Department and the focal person for the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission in Bangladesh, said besides tuna fishing, the country will conduct a survey at depths of 200 metres in its maritime waters.

He also said that the amount of Bangladesh's share of tuna extraction with the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission has not been finalised yet. But the negotiation is going on, he said, adding that the commission is also encouraging Bangladesh to extract tuna.

There are eight species of tuna in Bay

According to the Department of Fisheries, there are eight species of tuna and more than 10 species of related pelagic fish in the country's maritime zone. Despite being popular and in demand worldwide, entrepreneurs in this sector in Bangladesh are unable to engage in tuna fishing.

In 2019, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock granted permission to 19 companies for tuna fishing. However, none of the companies invested in the sector. The new project plans to use longlines to catch tuna fish from a depth of 200 metres in the Bay.

Jobaidul Alam said, "The actual quantity of fish that can be caught will be determined once the operations commence. Since countries like India, Sri Lanka, and others catch tuna and pelagic fish from international waters, we also aim to succeed in this venture."

This pilot project initiative of the government is basically to stimulate the private sector in the catching of tuna fish, he said. "We hope that the blue economy sector of Bangladesh will go a long way through tuna fish extraction."

At present, fish catching takes place in four regions of the deep sea: South Patches, South of South Patches, Middle Ground, and Swatch of No Ground. The distance from the coastline to these regions in the offshore area is approximately 100 kilometres. It takes about 18 hours to reach these areas from the coastal zone.

Distance is a challenge

To catch tuna fish from Bangladesh, it is necessary to go to the deep sea near the exclusive economic zone, approximately 380 nautical miles away from the coastal areas, and in the international waters adjacent to India and Sri Lanka. To reach this region, it will take at least three days. But due to proximity fishermen from Sri Lanka and India can reach there in approximately 3 to 5 hours.

The Department of Fisheries director general said the government is planning various ways to earn foreign currency by utilising the vast sea area of Bangladesh. "Part of this is the project to export the import-dependent tuna fish sector. Fish catching is not the job of the Department of Fisheries. We want to set a precedent for the private sector. Hopefully the private sector will come forward in tuna fish catching with the experience of the pilot project. Through this, new doors will be opened in the extraction of marine fish."

Private sector was reluctant

Nurul Qayyum Khan, president of the Bangladesh Marine Fisheries Association, told TBS that although the government has permitted private companies to catch tuna fish in two phases, no firm has come forward due to a lack of information about it. "It is necessary to confirm the amount of tuna fish stocks there. Because about Tk100 crore is required to import a ship. If the pilot project is successful then surely private investors will come forward."

A vast part of the deep sea remains unexplored due to the lack of modern ships, he said. "The country is yet to survey the fish stocks in the deep sea. However, the initiative to purchase vessels for tuna fishing will speed up marine fishing."

According to the Marine Fisheries Association, Bangladesh has an economic zone of approximately 1.19 lakh square kilometres in the Bay, which is nearly equivalent to the country's land area. However, most of the sea area remains unexplored beyond the reach of current research efforts.

Currently, there are 263 registered fishing vessels. Among them, 230 vessels engage in fishing in the Bay. In addition, about 67,000 registered and unregistered boats in the deep sea catch fish.

Bangladesh extracts fish resources from three regions spanning only 24 thousand square kilometres. The annual catch of fish amounts to 6.5 lakh tonnes.

RV Meen Sandhani, a research vessel brought from Malaysia, is conducting exploration for marine resources in the Bay. Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute has already determined the breeding time for 25 species of fish. However, it has not been possible to determine the breeding time for the other 476 species of fish and 39 species of shrimp in the Bay.