Participants and guests at a dialogue marking the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022 held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka on Sunday. Photo: Collected

The small-scale or artisanal fishers contribute nearly 90 per cent of all marine capture in Bangladesh, according to the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). On top of that, more than one million people in the country depend on small-scale fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods.

The FAO revealed the information at a dialogue marking the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022 held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka today.

At the dialogue, the speakers acknowledged the contribution of the small-scale fisheries and aquaculture in Bangladesh and highlighted the importance of women and the impact of climate change in the sector.

Small-scale fishers in Bangladesh make an invaluable contribution to the country's food and nutrition security as well as the rural economy, said Robert D Simpson, FAO representative in Bangladesh.

Climate change is leaving adverse impact on fishery and aquaculture-reliant communities and the ecosystems they depend on, especially in tropical regions, said Mushabe Norman, FAO's senior technical adviser for fisheries and climate change.

In the world, around 492 million people depend at least partially on small-scale fisheries for their livelihoods, the FAO said in a press release.

"In Bangladesh, artisanal fisheries contribute an estimated 87 per cent of the total marine capture. The produce provides protein and essential micronutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, selenium and zinc," it said.

Nahid Rashid, fisheries and livestock secretary, attended the event chaired by Kh Mahbubul Haque, director-general of the Department of Fisheries.

Source: The Daily Star