National aquaculture development strategy and action plan of Bangladesh, 2013-2020.
Abstract
The National Aquaculture Development Strategy and Action Plan of Bangladesh 2013-2020 constitutes 16 outputs under four objectives. These are geared to pursuing the mission of the aquaculture sector that its stakeholders have charged it with: "To improve the welfare of the resource-poor people depending on the aquatic resources for livelihood, reduce poverty by stimulating employment and improving income, conserve if not enhance the natural resources on which livelihoods are based, promote the sustainable development of rural communities, increase export earnings, and contribute to the creation of wealth for the nation and improvement in the welfare of the people". The formulation of the Strategy and Action Plan has been informed by the National Fisheries Policy of 1998, the Country Investment Plan 2011-2015, the National Fisheries and Livestock Sector Development Plan, the FAO TCPF project "Identification and understanding of key technical, economic and social constraints to seed and feed production and management in Bangladesh", and the preceding national fisheries strategy and action plan of 2006-2012. It thus updates the aquaculture substrategy and plan of action contained in this document. The Strategy and Action Plan was formulated, based on a working paper prepared by the Aquaculture Branch of FAO, at a stakeholders' consultation workshop held in 10 December 2012, then reviewed extensively for technical content and issues by experts at the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture of FAO, and finally reviewed for the strategic and policy issues by the National Working Committee for the Sustainable Development of Aquaculture Industry during its first meeting on 4 September 2013. The Committee endorsed the Strategy and Action Plan at the same meeting. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Government of Bangladesh approved the document in November 2013.