Kalapara, Oct 30 (V7N)- A fishermen's conference was held at the Upazila Parishad meeting room in Payara, Kalapara, bringing together members of fish conservation groups, co-management organizations, and marginal fisher families. Organized by the International Research Institute’s EcoFish-II project, the day-long event aimed to promote sustainable fishing practices and strengthen awareness of biodiversity conservation. Participants included fisher members from Patuakhali and Barguna, members of co-management committees, local conservationists, and fish-processing industry representatives.

Dr. Mo. Ashraful Haque, Senior Scientific Officer and Sub-Centre Head of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute’s Kalapara Sub-Centre, presided over the conference. Upazila Executive Officer M. Rabiul Islam attended as the chief guest, alongside representatives from the Coast Guard and EcoFish-II specialists, including Training Specialist Israt Jahura and Communication Specialist Dilruba Sharmin.

The conference addressed critical topics such as adherence to fishing bans, the dangers of illegal nets, and EcoFish-II’s ongoing developmental efforts. Md. Bakhtiar Rahman, Assistant Researcher of Worldfish EcoFish-II, highlighted that since 2020, the project has supported 1,500 fisher families in the coastal region, focusing on fisheries resource conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods. He shared that 400 fishers in Kalapara and 200 in Barguna have each received Tk. 5,500 as development support.

The project is also empowering women in fisher families through skill development, business education, technical training, and marketing assistance. Additionally, initiatives on nutrition awareness, gender equality, and promoting saving habits were discussed to help foster self-sufficiency among the fishing communities.

END/UKH/AJ