Review of the current situation, problems, and challenges in fish seed production and supply for Bangladesh's aquaculture development

Abstract

Fish seed are important for the growth of aquaculture in Bangladesh, but there are many challenges associated with supplying quality fish seed. This review evaluated the current level of production, issues and challenges that are affecting the production of fish seed in Bangladesh. The fish hatchery was found to be the major contributor in terms of fish seed production. Out of 671 metric tons of fish seed produced in 2020–2021, above 99% were from hatcheries. Freshwater finfish hatcheries have expanded over the last 30 yr, and are distributed throughout the country, but there is no commercial hatchery for coastal and marine water finfish species in the country. Shrimp and prawn hatcheries are concentrated in Cox's Bazar and the greater Jassore regions, respectively, while crab culture is entirely dependent on wild capture. Crablets are collected from nature, which has a devastating impact on biodiversity and wild stocks. The fish seed value chain is multidirectional and interlinked, and intermediaries dominate the supply chain. Disease outbreaks and indiscriminate use of chemicals are major concerns in fish seed production. Management strategies such as the introduction of certification, training programs, technology transfer, access to credit, and implementation of the law could improve the quality and productivity of fish seed in Bangladesh.