<p>People in Bangladesh are now eating 30 per cent more fish than they did 20 years ago, but they are getting a smaller amount of important nutrients from it, <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0175098">a new study shows</a>.</p>

<p>Fish is widely known as a healthy food, rich in protein and other nutrients, so how can this be? Well, it comes down to the types of fish available for people to eat.</p>

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<h5>A combination of overfishing, pollution, and environmental damage has led to significant losses in both quantities of fish (biomass) and the number of fish species (biodiversity) available.</h5>
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<p>In Bangladesh as in many regions in the world, naturally harvested fish, which is known as capture fisheries, <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919213001632">are faltering</a>. A combination of overfishing, pollution, and environmental damage has led to significant losses in both quantities of fish (biomass) and the number of fish species (biodiversity) available.</p>

<p>The result is that consumption of fish from capture fisheries in Bangladesh <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0175098">declined by 33 per cent between 1991 and 2010</a>.</p>

<p>This trend is also seen globally. Production from global capture fisheries <a href="http://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms10244">peaked in the 1990s and has since been declining</a> as unsustainable fishing practices continue to worsen. Globally, <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5555e.pdf">89 per cent of marine fish stocks are&nbsp;either overfished or at maximum capacity</a>.</p>

<p>At the same time, aquaculture or fish farming (known as the &ldquo;<a href="http://www.economist.com/node/1974103">blue revolution</a>&rdquo;) has been rapidly expanding. In fact, it is the fastest growing food production sector globally, with <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3844e.pdf">average annual growth of 8</a>&nbsp;per cent, and now <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5555e.pdf">accounts for half of all fish</a> consumed by people around the world.</p>

<p>Since aquaculture was introduced in Bangladesh in the 1980s, the industry has grown rapidly. And the country is now the <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5555e.pdf">world&rsquo;s sixth largest producer</a> of aquaculture products.</p>

<p>Growth in this sector has more than compensated for declines in the quantity of fish available from capture fisheries, and this is evident in large increases in consumption over time.</p>

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/163785/width754/image-20170404-21976-11ttjp1.JPG" />
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<p><span class="caption">Capture fisheries in Bangladesh are dominated by &lsquo;small indigenous fish&rsquo; that are often consumed whole.</span></p>

<p>But what is not widely known is that the nutritional value of different fish species varies greatly. It turns out that, in Bangladesh, local species from capture fisheries are generally <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157515000976">much more nutritious</a> than the species being farmed.</p>
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<p>Capture fisheries in the country are <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286851461_The_diversity_of_cypriniforms_throughout_Bangladesh_Present_status_and_conservation_challenges">dominated by nearly 300 species of &ldquo;small indigenous fish&rdquo;</a>, which are often consumed whole, including head and bones.</p>

<p>Nutrition powerhouses, these small fish are rich sources of important micronutrients including iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin A, as well as high-quality protein.</p>

<p>Aquaculture, on the other hand, is dominated by a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6XjGVIRbmt0OFVpc3gtTTdTTUk/view">handful of large fish species</a>, both indigenous and exotic. Only the flesh of large fish is normally eaten, which is a rich source of high-quality protein, but generally, has lower micronutrient content.</p>

<p>As diets have shifted towards more farmed fish, nutrient intakes from fish have declined. And this has serious implications for <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0175098#pone.0175098.ref005">a country suffering widespread malnutrition</a>.</p>

<p>Indeed, Bangladesh has among the worst malnutrition rates in the world. More than one in three children under five years of age <a href="http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR311/FR311.pdf">are stunted</a> &ndash; an indicator of chronic malnutrition. And <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56424f6ce4b0552eb7fdc4e8/t/57490d3159827e39bd4d2314/1464405328062/Bangladesh_NMS_final_report_2011-12.pdf">millions live with various micronutrient deficiencies.</a></p>

<p>This has been estimated to cost the country <a href="https://www.fantaproject.org/sites/default/files/resources/Bangladesh-PROFILES-Costing-June2012.pdf">US$1 billion each year in foregone economic productivity</a>. And that doesn&rsquo;t take into account the cost to the health-care system for treating malnutrition or other social costs.</p>

<p>Malnutrition in its various forms affects nearly every country in the world. Combined with poor diet, it&rsquo;s the <a href="http://ebrary.ifpri.org/utils/getfile/collection/p15738coll2/id/130354/filename/130565.pdf">number one cause of the global burden of disease</a>.</p>

<figure class="align-right "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/164783/width237/image-20170411-31886-1v5hpwv.jpg" />
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<p><span class="caption">While large fish may be rich in protein, they are lacking important micronutrients.</span>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Fish is a nutrient-rich food that can play a more significant role in addressing this global challenge, not only in Bangladesh but in many regions.</p>
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<p>If the <a href="https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg2">United Nations&rsquo; Sustainable Development Goal of ending malnutrition</a> is to be achieved, the goals of food production systems, including aquaculture, must be realigned to focus on nutrition. And this means diverse food systems that prioritise nutrient-rich foods.</p>

<p>A novel example of such an approach also comes from Bangladesh. Nutrient-rich small fish are produced in aquaculture systems alongside large fish in a <a href="http://pubs.iclarm.net/resource_centre/AAS-2014-06.pdf">practice known as polyculture</a> so that several species are raised in the same pond.</p>

<p>The large fish can be sold for income, while small fish are harvested regularly for household consumption or&nbsp;when in excess, for sale. Farmers are able to increase total yields while also improving the nutritional quality of their production systems.</p>

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<h5>One small fish, known as mola (Amblypharyngodon mola), is an exceptional source of vitamin A, and including it in polyculture systems has been shown to be a cost-effective strategy for alleviating vitamin A deficiency.</h5>
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<p>One small fish, known as mola (Amblypharyngodon mola), is an exceptional source of vitamin A, and including it in polyculture systems <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0044848615302325">has been shown</a> to be a cost-effective strategy for alleviating vitamin A deficiency. Despite the evidence, this approach is yet to be widely adopted.</p>

<p>Research confirms that simply producing more food is not the only global challenge. The focus of food production systems, including aquaculture, must move beyond maximising yields to also consider nutritional quality. Otherwise, the world will continue to confront situations like the one in Bangladesh, where malnutrition remains in spite of plenty.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-bangladesh-people-are-eating-more-fish-but-getting-less-nutrition-from-it-75458">original article</a>.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The focus of food production systems, including aquaculture, must move beyond maximising yields to consider nutritional quality too

People in Bangladesh are now eating 30 per cent more fish than they did 20 years ago, but they are getting a smaller amount of important nutrients from it, a new study shows. Fish is widely known as a healthy food, rich in protein and other nutrients, so how can this be? Well, it comes down to the types of fish available for people to eat. A combination of overfishing, pollution, and environmental damage has led to significant losses in both quantities of fish (biomass) and the number of fish species (biodiversity) available. × In Bangladesh as in many regions in the world, naturally harvested fish, which is known as capture fisheries, are faltering. A combination of overfishing, pollution, and environmental damage has led to significant losses in both quantities of fish (biomass) and the number of fish species (biodiversity) available. The result is that consumption of fish from capture fisheries in Bangladesh declined by 33 per cent between 1991 and 2010. This trend is also seen globally. Production from global capture fisheries peaked in the 1990s and has since been declining as unsustainable fishing practices continue to worsen. Globally, 89 per cent of marine fish stocks are either overfished or at maximum capacity. At the same time, aquaculture or fish farming (known as the “blue revolution”) has been rapidly expanding. In fact, it is the fastest growing food production sector globally, with average annual growth of 8 per cent, and now accounts for half of all fish consumed by people around the world. Since aquaculture was introduced in Bangladesh in the 1980s, the industry has grown rapidly. And the country is now the world’s sixth largest producer of aquaculture products. Growth in this sector has more than compensated for declines in the quantity of fish available from capture fisheries, and this is evident in large increases in consumption over time. Capture fisheries in Bangladesh are dominated by ‘small indigenous fish’ that are often consumed whole. But what is not widely known is that the nutritional value of different fish species varies greatly. It turns out that, in Bangladesh, local species from capture fisheries are generally much more nutritious than the species being farmed. Capture fisheries in the country are dominated by nearly 300 species of “small indigenous fish”, which are often consumed whole, including head and bones. Nutrition powerhouses, these small fish are rich sources of important micronutrients including iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin A, as well as high-quality protein. Aquaculture, on the other hand, is dominated by a handful of large fish species, both indigenous and exotic. Only the flesh of large fish is normally eaten, which is a rich source of high-quality protein, but generally, has lower micronutrient content. As diets have shifted towards more farmed fish, nutrient intakes from fish have declined. And this has serious implications for a country suffering widespread malnutrition. Indeed, Bangladesh has among the worst malnutrition rates in the world. More than one in three children under five years of age are stunted – an indicator of chronic malnutrition. And millions live with various micronutrient deficiencies. This has been estimated to cost the country US$1 billion each year in foregone economic productivity. And that doesn’t take into account the cost to the health-care system for treating malnutrition or other social costs. Malnutrition in its various forms affects nearly every country in the world. Combined with poor diet, it’s the number one cause of the global burden of disease. While large fish may be rich in protein, they are lacking important micronutrients. Fish is a nutrient-rich food that can play a more significant role in addressing this global challenge, not only in Bangladesh but in many regions. If the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of ending malnutrition is to be achieved, the goals of food production systems, including aquaculture, must be realigned to focus on nutrition. And this means diverse food systems that prioritise nutrient-rich foods. A novel example of such an approach also comes from Bangladesh. Nutrient-rich small fish are produced in aquaculture systems alongside large fish in a practice known as polyculture so that several species are raised in the same pond. The large fish can be sold for income, while small fish are harvested regularly for household consumption or when in excess, for sale. Farmers are able to increase total yields while also improving the nutritional quality of their production systems. One small fish, known as mola (Amblypharyngodon mola), is an exceptional source of vitamin A, and including it in polyculture systems has been shown to be a cost-effective strategy for alleviating vitamin A deficiency. × One small fish, known as mola (Amblypharyngodon mola), is an exceptional source of vitamin A, and including it in polyculture systems has been shown to be a cost-effective strategy for alleviating vitamin A deficiency. Despite the evidence, this approach is yet to be widely adopted. Research confirms that simply producing more food is not the only global challenge. The focus of food production systems, including aquaculture, must move beyond maximising yields to also consider nutritional quality. Otherwise, the world will continue to confront situations like the one in Bangladesh, where malnutrition remains in spite of plenty. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

In Bangladesh, people are eating more fish but getting less nutrition from it

With an ambitious target to unleash the potential of Blue Revolution by promoting growth and employment generation in inland fisheries, state government in&nbsp;India&#39;s western Maharashtra is working on a policy to promote cage culture for fresh water fish.<br />
<br />
To ensure the ease of doing business for those who wish to invest in such fish cage farms, the government will ensure that all permissions and clearances needed for the projects are in place before bidding them out.<br />
<br />
Some varieties that are being looked at for such captive inland breeding include tilapia, pangasius, basa, Asian bass and some types of shrimp.<br />
<br />
<b>Major employment generator&nbsp;</b><br />
<br />
For the purpose, floating net cages will be submerged in nursery ponds in dams and water bodies. The state is also looking at promoting cage culture in sea and brackish water, and erection of demonstration projects, including one at port city Ratnagiri.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;Maharashtra has a reservoir area of around 4 lakh hectare and we plan to bring a maximum of 1 per cent of this under fish cage farming,&rdquo; said a senior official from the state animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries department, adding that inland fishing had a huge untapped potential in the state.<br />
<br />
The department is preparing a draft policy to be tabled before the state cabinet.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;Each cage can generate direct employment for ten people. If 1,000 cages are put up, this can provide 10,000 jobs and indirect employment to around 15,000 people,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We, however, need skill development programmes,&rdquo; the official explained, adding that the sector could be a major employment generator.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;Instead of granting fresh financial subsidies, we will ensure that all clearances for these sites are in place before bidding them out. Many permissions are required, such as those from the Maharashtra Pollution control Board (MPCB), state-run electricity distribution company MahaVitaran and irrigation department. We will secure them for investors,&rdquo; he explained.<br />
<br />
<strong>Fish to be reared in controlled environment&nbsp;</strong><br />
<br />
The official said the area to be utilised for rearing fish in cages would be restricted to just 1 per cent of the dams and irrigation reservoirs to prevent an accumulation of biomass. The oxygen and pollution levels in these water bodies will be monitored regularly. These projects will not be started in areas where chemicals and sewage are discharged.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;We, however, need to boost availability of fish seed locally. We have 30 fish seed hatcheries with a capacity to produce 150 crore seeds. But the actual production is just around 29 crore. Since we are unable to meet the demand, fish seed has to be imported from central Indian state Chhattisgarh and southern state of Andhra Pradesh,&rdquo; the official said, adding that they planned to utilise the capacity to the optimum and take production to 50 crore seeds this year.<br />
<br />
At present, Maharashtra has just around ten cages at locations such as dams at Dimbhe, Ujani, Panshet and Vangani, including the government, private, fishermen co-operatives and NGO-promoted projects.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;The fish will be reared in a high-density controlled environment,&rdquo; said the official, adding that the weight, feed and growth of the fish will be monitored on a real-time basis. &ldquo;Around 5,000-7,000 fingerlings will be released in one tank and they will grow up to 1 kg, ensuring that each cage can produce around five ton fish. If even 50 cages are put up in a reservoir, we will be able to harvest 250 tons annually,&rdquo; he noted.<br />
<br />
The state government will also seek to boost productivity of fish farming in open reservoirs.<br />
<br />
Maharashtra has 4 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) marine fish production and 1.5 LMT of inland fish production. During 2014-15, the state&rsquo;s contribution in marine, inland and total fish production (provisional) of India was 13.1 per cent, 2.2 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively, according to the Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2015-16.<br />
<br />
In 2014-15, Maharashtra exported 1.52 LMT fish worth Rupees 4,273 crore.<br />
<br />
According to the Centre, fish production has increased from 7.5 lakh tonnes in 1950-51 to 100.70 lakh tonnes during 2014-15.<br />
<br />
(Dhaval Kulkarni/dna)<br />
<br />
&nbsp;

For the purpose, floating net cages will be submerged in nursery ponds in dams and water bodies

With an ambitious target to unleash the potential of Blue Revolution by promoting growth and employment generation in inland fisheries, state government in India's western Maharashtra is working on a policy to promote cage culture for fresh water fish. To ensure the ease of doing business for those who wish to invest in such fish cage farms, the government will ensure that all permissions and clearances needed for the projects are in place before bidding them out. Some varieties that are being looked at for such captive inland breeding include tilapia, pangasius, basa, Asian bass and some types of shrimp. Major employment generator For the purpose, floating net cages will be submerged in nursery ponds in dams and water bodies. The state is also looking at promoting cage culture in sea and brackish water, and erection of demonstration projects, including one at port city Ratnagiri. “Maharashtra has a reservoir area of around 4 lakh hectare and we plan to bring a maximum of 1 per cent of this under fish cage farming,” said a senior official from the state animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries department, adding that inland fishing had a huge untapped potential in the state. The department is preparing a draft policy to be tabled before the state cabinet. “Each cage can generate direct employment for ten people. If 1,000 cages are put up, this can provide 10,000 jobs and indirect employment to around 15,000 people,” he said. “We, however, need skill development programmes,” the official explained, adding that the sector could be a major employment generator. “Instead of granting fresh financial subsidies, we will ensure that all clearances for these sites are in place before bidding them out. Many permissions are required, such as those from the Maharashtra Pollution control Board (MPCB), state-run electricity distribution company MahaVitaran and irrigation department. We will secure them for investors,” he explained. Fish to be reared in controlled environment The official said the area to be utilised for rearing fish in cages would be restricted to just 1 per cent of the dams and irrigation reservoirs to prevent an accumulation of biomass. The oxygen and pollution levels in these water bodies will be monitored regularly. These projects will not be started in areas where chemicals and sewage are discharged. “We, however, need to boost availability of fish seed locally. We have 30 fish seed hatcheries with a capacity to produce 150 crore seeds. But the actual production is just around 29 crore. Since we are unable to meet the demand, fish seed has to be imported from central Indian state Chhattisgarh and southern state of Andhra Pradesh,” the official said, adding that they planned to utilise the capacity to the optimum and take production to 50 crore seeds this year. At present, Maharashtra has just around ten cages at locations such as dams at Dimbhe, Ujani, Panshet and Vangani, including the government, private, fishermen co-operatives and NGO-promoted projects. “The fish will be reared in a high-density controlled environment,” said the official, adding that the weight, feed and growth of the fish will be monitored on a real-time basis. “Around 5,000-7,000 fingerlings will be released in one tank and they will grow up to 1 kg, ensuring that each cage can produce around five ton fish. If even 50 cages are put up in a reservoir, we will be able to harvest 250 tons annually,” he noted. The state government will also seek to boost productivity of fish farming in open reservoirs. Maharashtra has 4 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) marine fish production and 1.5 LMT of inland fish production. During 2014-15, the state’s contribution in marine, inland and total fish production (provisional) of India was 13.1 per cent, 2.2 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively, according to the Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2015-16. In 2014-15, Maharashtra exported 1.52 LMT fish worth Rupees 4,273 crore. According to the Centre, fish production has increased from 7.5 lakh tonnes in 1950-51 to 100.70 lakh tonnes during 2014-15. (Dhaval Kulkarni/dna)

India's Maharashtra  to promote cage culture for fresh water fish

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