SECOND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH PROJECT, FISHERIES COMPONENT (BGD-83-010) CONTENTS

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REPORT NO. 1

Revised version

April 1985

Code: 4.68.053

Euroconsult
Arnhem, The Netherlands

Hyperlinks to non-FAO Internet sites do not imply any official endorsement of or responsibility for the opinions, ideas, data or products presented at these locations, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. The sole purpose of links to non-FAO sites is to indicate further information available on related topics.

This electronic document has been scanned using optical character recognition (OCR) software. FAO declines all responsibility for any discrepancies that may exist between the present document and its original printed version.

CONTENTS

Summary

Preface

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Objectives
1.2 Terms of Reference
1.3 Approach

2 STATE OF FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE

2.1 The importance of fisheries
2.2 Fishery resources
2.3 Potentials and constraints for development
2.4 Institutional infrastructure

3 RESEARCH NEEDS

3.1 Basic principles
3.2 Research programmes
3.3 Research stations
3.4 Site selection for brackish water culture research station
3.5 Tasks and organization of NIFR

4 PLANNING

4.1 Network planning
4.2 Consultancy staffing

Annexes

Annex A - General description of research programmes

B - Task descriptions of technical assistance personnel

C - List of projects

D - Institutions and persons visited

Bibliography

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 - Fishery resources and production value

2 - Priority rating of main production categories

3 - Research areas and programmes

4 - Research stations with research programmes

5 - Water salinity in Khulna division

6 - Consultancy staffing

7 - Proposed additional expatriate staff

8 - Engineering costs, in Taka

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 - Research matrix

2 - Skeleton organization of diagram for NIFR and research stations

3 - Generalized network planning

4 - Schedule for consultancy services

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

SUMMARY

The main objective of the Second Agricultural Research Project, Fisheries Component, is to develop and strengthen fisheries research in Bangladesh. In this report preliminary proposals are presented for the overall research programme and organization of the National Institute of Fisheries Research (NIFR). Comments on an earlier draft concerning research priorities and organizational aspects by the Government of Bangladesh, the World Bank and FAO have been taken into account.

a. Purpose

The purpose of the present report is:

• to identify priorities with respect to fisheries research;
• to identify the major organizational requirements of NIFR;
• to identify the research programmes of each of the five projected research stations;
• to analyse the suitability of the Benerpota Agricultural Research Station as site for the Brackish water Culture Research Station (BARS);
• to provide a planning for the development of NIFR and its main activities.

b. Priorities for research

At present riverine fisheries is the most important source of fish (64 %) followed by marine fisheries (19 %) and fisheries in freshwater ponds and other small water bodies (15 %). It is expected that riverine fisheries will decrease as a result of water development works, that marine fisheries will remain at the present production level and that brackish water aquaculture, including shrimp, will increase very strongly. Fish production in ponds, rice fields, Oxbow lakes and Lake Kaptai will also increase albeit at a slower pace.

Consequently main emphasis should be given to research in the following fields:

• riverine fisheries, to manage fisheries and maintain present production levels;
• brackish water aquaculture, to serve and stimulate a rapidly growing sector;
• fisheries in ponds and other freshwater bodies, to guide long-term gradual development.

c. Research stations

Preliminary and generalized research programmes have been established and allocated to five research stations on the basis of criteria of cost-effectiveness and avoidance of duplication. The programmes of the research station will be as follows:

1. Freshwater Aquaculture Research Station (FARS), Mymensingh (39): aquaculture in ponds, reproduction of freshwater fish species, freshwater pen/cage culture, health care of freshwater fish species, socio-economics;
2. Brackish water Aquaculture Research Station (BARS), Satkhira (40): Shrimp culture, brackish water production resources, reproduction of brackish water shrimp and fin fish species, health care for brackish water shrimp and fin fish species;
3. Riverine Fisheries Research Stations (RFRS), Chandpur (41): riverine fisheries, fisheries in large water bodies (Oxbow lakes, Lake Kaptai);
4. Marine Fisheries and Mariculture Research Station (MFRS), Cox's Bazar (42): mariculture, marine fisheries;
5. Fisheries Technology Research Station (FTRS), Chittagong (43): feed technology, processing, marketing.

d. Site for Brackish water Culture Research Station (BARS)

The site of the present Benerpota Agricultural Research Station is considered suitably representative with respect to soil condition, tidal fluctuations and variation of salinity of tidal water. Information on land and water-levels to determine whether the required water depth and exchange of water in ponds can be realized has not been obtained in time, for inclusion in the present report.

e. Extension and training

Development of fisheries and aquaculture rests on three pillars: research, extension and training. In order to allow the effective utilization of research findings for extension and training, the following measures are proposed.

1. The research stations in Mymensingh, Satkhira, Chandpur and Cox's Bazar will include training and demonstration facilities for the training of extension personnel.
2. The Brackish water Culture Research Station (BARS) in Satkhira will also include training and demonstration facilities for the training of brackish water fish-farmers. For this purpose the Shrimp Demonstration Farm near Satkhira will be transferred to BARS in 1987. Construction of training facilities at the Shrimp Demonstration Farm will be postponed till then (40).

f. Co-ordination of research

One of the tasks of NIFR will be to co-ordinate research in fisheries conducted by other parties in Bangladesh. In this respect the following actions and procedures are proposed.

1. Research components of ongoing projects will be integrated in the work programme and brought under the responsibility of the relevant research station (54).
2. NIFR will prepare detailed research programmes and projects, including estimates of personnel, facility and budgetary requirements. International and bilateral donors may then select projects for financing from this list (54).

g. Organizational requirements

Headquarters of NIFR should be an effective organization able to deal with the tasks of guiding and co-ordinating research, advising the government and making research findings effectively available for the development of the fisheries sector. The main requirements in this respect are:

1. Headquarters of NIFR should be a relatively small, high-level organization (51).
2. NIFR should be supervised by a board having as its sole task the supervision of the functioning of NIFR, and advising the Minister of Agriculture and BARC with respect to the functioning of NIFR (52).
3. Headquarters of NIFR should be located in or near Dhaka (53).
4. It is proposed that additional technical assistance be provided as follows (60):
   • a research adviser, as of mid-1986 for a period of 3–4 years, to the Deputy Director Research Wing of NIFR;
   • a freshwater pond fish culturist to be assigned to FARS, Mymensingh as of November 1985 for a period of 3 years;
   • a freshwater pen/cage culture specialist as of mid-1986 for a period of two years;
   • a shrimp hatchery specialist to be assigned to BARS, Satkhira as of January 1987 for a period of 2½ years;
   • a brackish water aquaculture specialist as of January 1988 for a period of two years;
   • a riverine fisheries specialist to be assigned to RFRS, Chandpur, as of mid-1986 for a period of two years;
   • an additional 18 man-months of short-term specialists to be specified at a later date.

k. Planning

A generalized network planning has been prepared, indicating the work to be done to develop NIFR in the period 1985–1989. The first actions to be taken are as follows.

1. Agreement to the time schedule and Terms of Reference for the Detailed Planning Consultants, as described in Fig. 4 and Section 4.2 (57) of the present report;
2. Making available per 1 June 1985 temporary office space (about 225 sq.m.) in or near Dhaka (53);
3. Appointing the following staff per 1 February 1985: Director of NIFR, Chief Research Wing, Chief Programme Division, Chief Coordination Division, Design engineer, Chief Administration and Finance, Bookkeeper, Secretary, Typist, Office boy (51);
4. Deciding on the definitive availability of the site for the establishment of the Brackish water Culture Research Station (BARS), Satkhira, before 1 July 1985 (44–48);
5. Other matters with respect to the development of NIFR and the need for additional technical assistance may be discussed during the detailed planning of NIFR, second half 1985.

PREFACE

The main objective of the Second Agricultural Research Project, Fisheries Component, is to develop and strengthen fisheries research in Bangladesh. In this report preliminary proposals are presented for the overall research programme and organization of the National Institute of Fisheries Research (NIFR). Comments on an earlier draft concerning research priorities and organizational aspects by the Government of Bangladesh, the World Bank and FAO have been taken into account.

The present report should serve as a basis for discussions with all parties concerned. Especially the organization of NIFR and the phased development of the research stations needs further scrutiny. In the course of 1985 and 1986 detailed proposals will be worked out for the organization, research programmes and implementation schedules of the NIFR and its research stations. In so doing, full consideration will be given to such factors as limited availability of research scientists and scarcity of funds. These proposals will be discussed in detail with the staff of NIFR, the Government of Bangladesh, the World Bank and FAO, after which a detailed fisheries research master plan can be drawn up.