Assessing Fisheries Policies of Bangladesh: Need for Consistency or Transformation?
With the aim to enhance production, alleviate poverty, meet animal protein demand, earn foreign currency and maintain ecological balance, the Bangladesh government has formulated the National Fisheries Policy 1998. Over the last two decades, this policy for safeguarding fisheries is still in practic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/21/3414 |
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| author | Md. Mostafa Shamsuzzaman Mohammad Mahmudul Islam Amany Begum Petra Schneider Mohammad Mojibul Hoque Mozumder |
| author_facet | Md. Mostafa Shamsuzzaman Mohammad Mahmudul Islam Amany Begum Petra Schneider Mohammad Mojibul Hoque Mozumder |
| author_sort | Md. Mostafa Shamsuzzaman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With the aim to enhance production, alleviate poverty, meet animal protein demand, earn foreign currency and maintain ecological balance, the Bangladesh government has formulated the National Fisheries Policy 1998. Over the last two decades, this policy for safeguarding fisheries is still in practice but gets little attention by researchers and policy makers to assess its effectiveness. This study analyzes the fisheries policy frameworks and evaluates how policy changes affecting fisheries production with certain ecological balance. The paper describes elements in the historical process of the development of the national fisheries policy related to the issue of equal or restricted access to the fish resource. The findings suggest that changes in policy only could not offer solutions to prevent over exploitation and overcapitalization that presently exists in conventional open access fishery. In addition, key constraints underlying in between policies and in implementation of laws includes ignorance of conservation laws, overwhelmingly top-down decision-making, lack of appropriate policy goals, inadequate enforcement, outdated policy and bogus action strategy, lack of enforcement regulations against pollution, poor coordination and technical know-how of the personnel concerned. For achieving inclusive growth in the fisheries sector, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the government stated the Vision 2021, fisheries policy reform is recommended with special emphasis on marine fisheries sub section formulation, socio-economic development of relevant communities, updating of existing governance, and strengthening institutional capacity to appropriately manage this potential sector. Moreover, the existing regulations should be amended accordingly with clearly defined reliable enforcement authority. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:33:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-970bb4c1e3704d4581c7fc9e2b3a53fc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:33:24Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-970bb4c1e3704d4581c7fc9e2b3a53fc2023-11-24T07:19:05ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412022-10-011421341410.3390/w14213414Assessing Fisheries Policies of Bangladesh: Need for Consistency or Transformation?Md. Mostafa Shamsuzzaman0Mohammad Mahmudul Islam1Amany Begum2Petra Schneider3Mohammad Mojibul Hoque Mozumder4Department of Coastal and Marine Fisheries, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet 3100, BangladeshDepartment of Coastal and Marine Fisheries, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet 3100, BangladeshDepartment of Coastal and Marine Fisheries, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet 3100, BangladeshDepartment for Water, Environment, Civil Engineering and Safety, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal, Breitscheidstraße 2, D-39114 Magdeburg, GermanyFisheries and Environmental Management Group, Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Faculty of Biological & Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, FinlandWith the aim to enhance production, alleviate poverty, meet animal protein demand, earn foreign currency and maintain ecological balance, the Bangladesh government has formulated the National Fisheries Policy 1998. Over the last two decades, this policy for safeguarding fisheries is still in practice but gets little attention by researchers and policy makers to assess its effectiveness. This study analyzes the fisheries policy frameworks and evaluates how policy changes affecting fisheries production with certain ecological balance. The paper describes elements in the historical process of the development of the national fisheries policy related to the issue of equal or restricted access to the fish resource. The findings suggest that changes in policy only could not offer solutions to prevent over exploitation and overcapitalization that presently exists in conventional open access fishery. In addition, key constraints underlying in between policies and in implementation of laws includes ignorance of conservation laws, overwhelmingly top-down decision-making, lack of appropriate policy goals, inadequate enforcement, outdated policy and bogus action strategy, lack of enforcement regulations against pollution, poor coordination and technical know-how of the personnel concerned. For achieving inclusive growth in the fisheries sector, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the government stated the Vision 2021, fisheries policy reform is recommended with special emphasis on marine fisheries sub section formulation, socio-economic development of relevant communities, updating of existing governance, and strengthening institutional capacity to appropriately manage this potential sector. Moreover, the existing regulations should be amended accordingly with clearly defined reliable enforcement authority.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/21/3414fisheries policygovernancesustainabilitylegal frameworkfood securityBangladesh |
| spellingShingle | Md. Mostafa Shamsuzzaman Mohammad Mahmudul Islam Amany Begum Petra Schneider Mohammad Mojibul Hoque Mozumder Assessing Fisheries Policies of Bangladesh: Need for Consistency or Transformation? Water fisheries policy governance sustainability legal framework food security Bangladesh |
| title | Assessing Fisheries Policies of Bangladesh: Need for Consistency or Transformation? |
| title_full | Assessing Fisheries Policies of Bangladesh: Need for Consistency or Transformation? |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Fisheries Policies of Bangladesh: Need for Consistency or Transformation? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Fisheries Policies of Bangladesh: Need for Consistency or Transformation? |
| title_short | Assessing Fisheries Policies of Bangladesh: Need for Consistency or Transformation? |
| title_sort | assessing fisheries policies of bangladesh need for consistency or transformation |
| topic | fisheries policy governance sustainability legal framework food security Bangladesh |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/21/3414 |
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