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EveryFish

🇧🇩 Fish of Bangladesh

50 fish from Bangladesh, best known first.

Bangladesh relies heavily on fish for nutrition, with aquaculture driving significant economic growth. The sector faces challenges including labour abuses and environmental pressure from shrimp farming.

  • Aquaculture supplied 59% of total fish production in 2023-24
  • Fish provides 60% of animal protein in the Bangladeshi diet
  • Exclusive economic zone covers 110,000 square kilometres
  • Sundarbans mangroves provide spawning grounds for shrimp

Fish of Bangladesh

Fish supplies roughly sixty percent of animal protein in the national diet. Aquaculture alone contributed over two percent to the gross domestic product recently. Total production reached five million tonnes, with nearly sixty percent coming from farming. This shift occurred as urbanisation reduced land-based food sources. The government views underwater resources as essential for meeting nutritional demands. The industry supports livelihoods but also involves complex social issues.

Seas and rivers

The country holds an exclusive economic zone covering seventy-three percent of its land area in the Bay of Bengal. Inland waters support capture fisheries alongside farming. Mangrove estuaries in the Sundarbans serve as critical spawning grounds for marine life. These ecosystems are increasingly threatened by the conversion of forest stands into brine ponds for shrimp cultivation.

Fishing and farming

Shrimp farming has evolved from low-yield wild capture to more intensive methods. Modern hatcheries and quality control standards have been introduced with international aid. However, the sector struggles with low prices and variable quality. Child labour and forced debt bondage remain serious concerns in drying and processing sectors. Authorities acknowledge these issues and work with international bodies to address them.

Fish in culture

Shrimp and dried fish are central to local cuisine. They represent traditional food practices deeply embedded in daily life. Despite their cultural importance, the production chains involve significant ethical controversies regarding worker rights.

Today

The industry continues to expand through aquaculture investment. International organisations assist with safety standards and training. Efforts persist to balance economic gains with labour rights and environmental protection. The marine academy provides education for both fishing and maritime sectors.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Fishing industry in Bangladesh", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Reef or seaRiver or lakeFishing harbourFish marketAquarium or researchCity

Fish places in Bangladesh

The Padma and Meghna at Chandpur
GroupSharkRayCarpCatfishSalmonidHerringCodTunaPerch-likeCichlidReef fishEelFlatfishLivebearerAncientOther
WaterRivers and lakesEstuaries and mangrovesCoasts and shelvesCoral reefsOpen oceanDeep seaPolar and cold seasCaves and springsBetween sea and river
UseFood fishFarmedAquarium fishSport fishingCulture and faithVenomous or dangerousInvasiveScience and research
OrderBest knownA to ZOldest firstNewest firstBy size
🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 3 moreReba carp An edible freshwater fish native to South Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreRohu A large silver carp from South Asian rivers, farmed for food and prized as a game fish.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreClimbing perch Amphibious freshwater fish capable of breathing air and moving on land.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1792 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreAsian stinging catfish A small freshwater catfish with a painful stingCatfish · Rivers and lakes 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 4 moreSwamp barb Small tropical freshwater fish from South AsiaCarp · Rivers and lakes 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 2 moreDwarf gourami Small South Asian freshwater fish with vibrant colours.Other · Rivers and lakes Banded gourami 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 4 moreBanded gourami Small tropical air-breathing fish with striped patternsPerch-like · Rivers and lakes · 1801 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 4 moreGiant river-catfish Large bagrid catfish from South Asian riversCatfish · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreLong-whiskered catfish Large Asian catfish prized for food and sport.Catfish · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreGoonch catfish A massive river catfish native to South Asia.Catfish · Rivers and lakes 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 4 moreRita Large bagrid catfish from South Asian riversCatfish · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreZig-zag eel A large freshwater spiny eel native to South and Southeast Asia, known for its zigzag pattern and predatory habits.Eel · Rivers and lakes · 1777 🇮🇳 India and 3 moreTrout barb A slender carp living in fresh waters near the Bay of BengalCarp · Rivers and lakes 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 4 moreMola carplet A small freshwater fish from the Indian subcontinent valued as food.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 4 moreOlive barb A cyprinid fish native to South and Southeast Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreTor mahseer Large cyprinid fish of Himalayan rivers with record-sized scales.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreStriped snakehead A large freshwater food fish native to South and Southeast Asia.Other · Rivers and lakes 🇦🇺 Australia and 4 moreLongcomb sawfish A critically endangered sawfish with a toothed rostrum.Ray · Coasts and shelves 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 2 morePangas catfish Large shark catfish from South Asian rivers and estuaries.Catfish · Rivers and lakes · 1822 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 4 moreStriped dwarf catfish Small Asian catfish found in brackish waters and swamps.Catfish · Estuaries and mangroves 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 4 moreButter catfish Asian sheatfish valued for delicate flesh and fish balls.Catfish · Rivers and lakes 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 4 morePabdah catfish Small spotted freshwater catfish from South AsiaCatfish · Rivers and lakes 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 3 moreKuria labeo A large freshwater carp native to South Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreBata A slow-moving freshwater carp native to India and Bangladesh.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMagur catfish Freshwater airbreathing catfish from India and BangladeshCatfish · Rivers and lakes 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 4 moreMottled eel Tropical freshwater eel found in Africa and AsiaEel · Rivers and lakes · 1844 🇲🇾 Malaysia and 4 moreToli shad A prized shad of the Indian and Pacific coastsHerring · Rivers and lakes 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 4 moreIlish Anadromous herring species prized as a delicacy in South Asia and the Middle East.Herring · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreMrigal carp A farmed freshwater carp native to South Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreGanges shark Critically endangered river shark of South AsiaShark · Rivers and lakes · 1839 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreCatla Large freshwater carp farmed across South Asia for food.Carp · Rivers and lakes 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreGiant devil catfish Large river catfish of South AsiaCatfish · Rivers and lakes · 1822 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 3 moreIndian featherback Large silvery knifefish from South Asian riversOther · Rivers and lakes 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 4 moreSpotted sea catfish A tropical catfish found in Indo-Pacific watersCatfish · Rivers and lakes · 1792 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 4 moreParadise threadfin A yellow-finned ray-finned fish from South and Southeast Asia.Other · Rivers and lakes

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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