Fish Diversity and Fish Consumption in Bangladesh

Bangladeshi women preparing a fish curry. Credit: Finn Thilsted

Bangladesh prides itself on being very rich in fish diversity, but recently a multitude of factors, including rapid population growth, water pollution by industry, natural disasters, sea intrusion, salinity, and the overexploitation of fisheries, that diversity has started to diminish. This is particularly problematic given many benefits a diet diverse in fish species consumed has for nutritional health. This project examines fishery technologies that have been developed and are being practised in order to protect fish biodiversity and nutrition in Bangladesh. 

The Problem

In Bangladesh, the frequency of fish consumption, and the diversity of the fish species consumed, is very high. Alarmingly, the biodiversity of indigenous freshwater fish species in Bangladesh has been decreasing, with 15 per cent of species reported to have disappeared, 20 per cent critically endangered, and the rate of disappearance increasing in recent years. Over the last six decades, 23 fish species have been introduced in Bangladesh, mainly for cultivation in closed pond systems. It is reported that the escape of these species to rivers and floodplains during the monsoon and floods is a threat to the biodiversity of small indigenous fish species (SIS), as some are highly carnivorous and predatory. Many other factors contribute to decreasing fish biodiversity and production, including rapid population growth, water pollution by industry, natural disasters, sea intrusion, salinity, overexploitation of fisheries, the use of harmful gears, and the dewatering of waterbodies. 

This loss of fish biodiversity has the potential to be particularly problematic for the rural poor in Bangladesh, given that 60 per cent are functionally landless, lacking access to land and water for agricultural production, and are dependent, to some extent, on common resources, like fish, for their livelihoods and food.

Agrobiodiversity

Bangladesh prides itself on being very rich in fish diversity. Its numerous and diverse inland waterbodies – beels (floodplain depressions and lakes), ponds, rivers, canals, ditches – and paddy fields, are home to over 267 freshwater fish species. In addition, coastal and marine fisheries also have a large biodiversity. In the mangrove waters in Sundarbans, over 400 fish species, as well as other aquatic animals such as shrimp, prawn and crab, are reported. 

Fish, especially SIS, are a rich animal-source food of multiple, essential, highly bioavailable nutrients; animal protein, and some, for example hilsa, have a high content of fat and beneficial polyunsaturated fatty acids. Some common SIS – mola, chanda (Chanda nama, Parambassis ranga, Pseudambassis baculis), dhela (Ostreobrama cotio cotio) and darkina (Esomus danricus) – have high contents of vitamin A. As most SIS are eaten whole, with bones, they are also a very rich source of highly bioavailable calcium. Darkina has a high iron and zinc content. In the above-mentioned study in Kishoreganj, SIS contributed 40 per cent and 31 per cent of the total recommended intakes of vitamin A and calcium, respectively, at household level, in the peak fish production season. In addition, fish enhances the bioavailability of iron and zinc from the other foods in a meal.

It is good, then, that the diversity of fish species consumption in Bangladesh is very high. Even though the quantity of fish consumed may be low and probably continues to decrease among the rural poor, the high frequency of fish consumption and diversity of fish species consumed reflect the positive perceptions of fish, in particular SIS, for good nutrition, health and well-being. 

The Project

In 1994, in Sigharagi Beel, Bangladesh, efforts were initiated in order to re-establish the migratory routes of fish, through rehabilitating a channel to floodplains by desiltation resulted in restoration of fish habitats.

Later, the Management of Aquatic Ecosystems through Community Husbandry (MACH) projects (1998–2003) worked to restore three major wetland habitats, ensure sustainable productivity and improve the livelihoods of the poor who depend on these wetlands, through community based co-management. Activities included forming community organizations and links to local government, excavation of beels and canals to expand dry season water holding, establishment of fish sanctuaries and a closed fishing season, release of indigenous fish species, and tree planting.

 

 

Impact

The efforts to reestablish the migratory routes of fish in Sigharagi Beel in 1994 were very successful and resulted in a five-fold increase in total fish production, a doubling of the proportion of fish (mainly SIS) caught and consumed by the landless and small farmers, and an increase in the number of fish species (mainly SIS) from 46 to 64.

Following the MACH projects that worked to restore three major wetland habitats:

  • The number of fish species increased from 71 (baseline year) to 85 (average of three intervention years).
  • Average fish consumption increased from 45 g/capita/d (baseline year) to 61 g/capita/d (third intervention year).
  • The proportions of fish consumed which were caught or bought from rural markets were 30 per cent and 70 per cent, respectively.

More stakeholders are becoming aware of the importance of small fish species, both freshwater and marine, for improving human nutrition, and the implications for national development.

Lessons Learned

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  • The most important constraint to expanded and sustained sweet potato production is the timely availability of quality planting material at the beginning of the rains.
  • For sustained adoption, it is necessary to invest in actual breeding efforts in Africa in order to have materials that are sufficiently adapted to local conditions.