A day long multi stakeholders workshop was held in Dhaka to address all issues relating to challenges being faced in increasing production of good healthy seeds for accelerating Galda hatchery production in Bangladesh. The workshop was organized by Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) in collaboration with Department of Fisheries (DOF) with support from Business Promotion Council under Agri-Business Trade Competitiveness Project (ATC-P), Ministry of Commerce as a part of its initiative to position Bagda and Galda as premium brands in the international market.
Dr. Mahmudul Karim, distinguished Member of the Board of Directors of BSFF moderated the workshop while Syed Arif Azad, Director General of Department of Fisheries attended the workshop as the Chief Guest. Two presentations on “An Overview of the Current Situation of Galda Hatchery Operations in Bangladesh” and “Development of Vaccination for Prawn and Shrimp Viral and Vivrio Diseases using Molecular Bio-Technology” were made by Mr. Hiranmoy Bhattacharjee, Senior Aquaculture Consultant of BSFF and the eminent scientist Professor Dr. GM Sarwar Jahangir, Director, Bio-Technology Degree Program, Department of Biological Science, Kings Boroughs College, City University of New York, USA respectively.
The workshop was attended by experts from the University including Dr. Manjurul Karim, experts, Senior DoF Officials, extension workers, representatives from Katalyst, Winrock International, WorldFish, BRAC and industry representatives.
Mr. Hiranmoy from BSFF, in his key note presentation, noted that production of seeds for Galda production in hatcheries continued to face problems for many reasons. Some of them include, scarcity of good quality brood, poor water management, bacterial diseases outbreak, parasitic infestation, inappropriate bio-security management, low quality inputs, artemia, formalin etc., lack of skilled manpower operating hatcheries, improper hatchery management etc.
Dr. Sarwar Jahangir apprised the workshop about new frontiers of research on addressing challenges faced in immunizing various species of fish from bacterial attacks. He shed light on what could be a viable option for Bangladesh to avail of the new opportunities available for addressing challenges at the hatchery level in producing healthy seeds.
In his remarks as the Chief Guest, Dr. Syed Arif Azad, Director General of DoF noted that implementation of the bio-security compliance measure at all levels of prawn hatchery operations should be given prime importance in order to combat the challenges.
Most of the participants recommended for developing a road-map/ a comprehensive work plan on priority basis for sustaining Galda hatchery operations and its culture as a part of National Action Plan for Sustainable Development of Shrimp Sector of Bangladesh.
The workshop also highlighted the need for skill development in Bangladesh to enable Bangladesh experts to diagnose diseases in the shrimp production sector, making the curricular in the relevant academic institutions, comprehensive enough to inform students and professionals about new research findings and policy options, the need for developing lab facilities both in the public and private sector and well planned activities for lessons learning from country’s facing problems similar to those encountered in Bangladesh. The meeting also duly recognized the importance of regional and international cooperation for the purpose and closure cooperation among Government, especially DoF, development partners and private sector entities like BSFF, BFFEA.
