Fisheries department proposes Tk 47cr project for 29 baors

The Department of Fisheries (DoF) has proposed a Tk 47.55 crore project to develop fisheries resources in 29 baors across four south-western districts, increase fish production and improve the livelihoods of genuine fishers.

The five-year project, titled “Community-Based Fisheries Resource Management in Selected Baor Areas”, includes excavating baors, establishing fish sanctuaries, upgrading fingerling production facilities, and strengthening training and community-based management.

Baors are crescent-shaped water bodies formed when a river changes course, leaving behind an isolated section of its former channel.

A press release issued yesterday by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock said the project aims to increase fish production in the baors of Jashore, Jhenaidah, Chuadanga and Kushtia by at least 10 percent.

The project was initiated by the Jashore deputy commissioner last year. The proposal was subsequently forwarded to the Planning Commission after the government approved its staffing structure.

It is now awaiting an assessment of its costs and activities, according to the release.

Md Delwar Hossain, secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, said the project aims not only to increase fish production but also to establish an effective management system involving local fishers.

Plans include designating selected water bodies as fish sanctuaries, monitoring them to protect fish stocks, and providing training to local people, he said.

Md Khaled Kanak, director general of the DoF, described the initiative as a community-based fisheries development project.

He said projects aimed at improving the livelihoods of baor fishers had been lacking for a long time.

Many baors have become shallow due to siltation, damaging fish habitats and reducing productivity, he said. The project seeks to restore these water bodies and establish an effective community-based management system, he added.