Hilsa catch declines by 48% due to pollution: Fisheries Adviser

The country's hilsa catch has dropped by nearly 48% due to increasing levels of pollution, according to Farida Akhtar, Adviser to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.

Speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural session of the 3rd International Conference organized by the Faculty of Fisheries at Sylhet Agricultural University on Friday, Akhtar emphasized the urgent need to tackle pollution to protect the nation’s aquatic resources.

“To ensure sustainable hilsa production, we must take strong and coordinated action against pollution,” she said.

Akhtar called for the establishment of a Haor Research Institute and stressed the importance of increasing government allocation for fisheries research.

She also warned that if pollution including plastic waste is not curbed, the country's future ability to meet its animal protein demand could be at serious risk.

The three-day conference features over 250 scientific papers presented across 11 sessions, with participation from local and international university faculty, researchers, and scientists from various institutions.