1 Acronyms/ list of Abbreviations: ADB: Asia Development Bank ADI: Average Daily Intake BAPA: Bangladesh Association Paribesh (Environmental) Mandolin (Association) BARC: Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council BBS: Bangladesh Bareau of Statistics BCAS: Bangladesh Center for Advanced Study BELA: Bangladesh Environment Lawers Association BFDC: Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation BFRI: Bangladesh Fishery Research Institute BHC: Hexa-Chloro-Benzene BIWTA: Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority BOB: Bay of Bengal BOBLME: Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem BOD: Biological Oxygen Demand BRTC: BUET Research & Technology Consultancy BUET: Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology BUP: Bangladesh Unnayan Parisad (Bangladesh Development Association) CMCH: Chittagong Medical college and hospital COD: Chemical Oxygen Demand CU: Chittagong University CUFL: Chittagong Urea and Fertilizer Limited DDC: Dhaka City Corporation.: DDT: Di-chloro-diphenyl trichloro- ethane DOE: Department of Environment DOF: Department of Fisheries EEZ: Exclusive Economic Zone EIA: Environmental Impact Assessment ERMP: Environment Risk Management Plan ESCAP: Economic Social Commission on Asia and Pacific FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization FEJB: Forum on Environmental Journalist of Bangladesh FEP: Forth Fisheries Project GBM: Ganges Brahmaputrra Meghana GDP: Gross Domestic product GEF: Global Environmental Facility GESAMP: Group of Expert on Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution GIS: Geographical; Information System GOB: Government of the People’s republic of Bangladesh IAEA: International Atomic Energy Commission ICBEN: International Conference on Bangladesh Environment ICZM: Integrated Coastal Zone Management IFRB: Institute of Food and Radiation Biology IMO: International Maritime Organisation IMS: Institute of Marine Sciences IOC: International Oceanographic Commission IUCN: International Union on Conservation of Nature KPM: Karnafully Maper Mills MoFL: Ministry of Forest & Environment MoL: Ministry of Law MPO: Master Plan Organisation MRL: Maximum Residue level MSY: Maximum Sustainable Yield NEMAP: National Environmental Management Action Programme NGO: Non-Governmental Organization NORI: National Oceanographic Research Institute NWMP: National Water and Management Plan OCP: Organo-Chlorine Pesticides ODA: Overseas Development Agency 2 PAH: Poly-Aromatic Hydrocarbon PCB: Poly-Chlorinated biphenyl PL: Post Larval POP: Persistent Organic pollutant PVC: Poly Vinyl Chloride SUFER: Support for Fishery Education and Research UNCED: United National Conference on Environment & Development UNDP: United Nations Development Programme UNEP: United National Environmental Programme WHC: World Heritage Convention WHO: World Health Organization WHOI: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution WHOL: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution WWF: World Wild Life Fund 3 PREFACE This National REPORT of Bangladesh was prepared as a part of Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME) programme of FAO on the “Sustainable Management of the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME).” The major objectives of the regional programme is to identify the priorities of issues for future interventions by the programme under FAO. Additionally, the assessment will greatly assist the donor agencies and national government in shaping the management strategy of the BOBLME region as a whole. This report is one of the eight of BOBLME block National Report, which make up the complete assessment. It is a compilation of the available data accumulated over a period of 10 years with major advances occurring in this regard. Chapter 2 deals exclusively with the marine fisheries sector, its present status, threatening issues, and rigorous management of these resources. Chapter 3 deals with the deteriorating state of the water body of BOB to acquire realistic knowledge that can lead to implementation of more comprehensive approaches for restoring and protecting the environment. First, I would like to convey my sincere thanks and gratitude to Dr.P.A.Verlaan, Regional Coordinator of BOBLME programme for wholehearted support and guidance throughout the preparation of the report. My sincere thanks to Dr.M.A. Mazid, DG, BFRI and National Coordinator for his cooperation and successful completion of all the steps for the preparation of National report. My sincere thanks also goes to FAO Representative and other officials in FAO office, Bangladesh for their cooperation. I also like to say my sincere thanks to Prof. S. H. Chowdhury for suggestion. For preparing this report, many scientists, representatives of govt., industry, and non-government organization and other interested parties participated in providing data, and in the technical and priority setting meeting including National Task Force (NTF) meeting and seminar on BOBLME in Bangladesh; National Workshop on BOBLME country status paper; reviews and comments from National Review Group (NRG) experts on BOBLME draft national report. Unfortunately I cannot list all the persons but offer my sincere thanks and appreciation to all of them for their contribution and effort in the development of this national report. Sorting and analysis of data, drafting and finalizing the document is unhesitatingly a difficult task and 45 days for preparing the draft report was a challenging task compare to the volume of works (TOR).This was partly possible with the help of the following persons in collecting and sorting of information from all available sources: a. A. H. Somaul Haque, Research fellow, Aquaculture Branch, Institute of Marine Science, University of Chittagong. b. Hasibul Islam; Research fellow, Oceanography Branch, Institute of Marine Science, University of Chittagong. c. Shaheen Mahmud, Research fellow, Aquaculture Branch, Institute of Marine Science, University of Chittagong. Sincere thanks is also extended to Mr. Abdulla Al-Mamum for his painstaking editing and composing the report and for necessay graphic representation. I feel indebted to all the above persons for the sincere support and much needed help. The whole exercise will be meaningful if it can be contribute to development of the fisheries sector and overall BOB environment. Dr. Md. M. Maruf Hossain National Consultant-BOBLME Program-Bangladesh & Professor, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh. E-mail: [email protected] 4 SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF THE BAY OF BENGAL LARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEM (BOBLME) 1. Introduction: Bangladesh is one of the marginal coastal countries of the Bay of Bengal. As the Bay of Bengal (BOB) is a large marine ecosystem and stands by seven other countries, the management of its living resources and its habitats is not only lies responsibility with Bangladesh but also an exclusive task for all the neighboring countries to resolve the existing problems. Seven other marginal countries of the Bay of Bengal have already realized that their need closer link and cooperation for sustainable management of the fisheries resources of the Bay of Bengal and its large marine ecosystem. The present country report is an effort to identify the common problem and to solve these problems through regional cooperation and participation. 1.1. Aims of the Country Report: The aims of this national report is to identify the extent of pollution intensity and deterioration of the environment of the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME) with special reference to the fishery resources of Bangladesh, to justify the needed of action plan on priority basis for sustainable development of the marine and coastal resources of the country; and as a whole for the BOBLME block. This report also analyses the present status of Bangladesh in respect of rigorous management of BOB. i. e. the potential resources and its environment. 1.2. Terms of Reference (TOR): During preparation of the country reports following Terms of Reference (TOR) as described in the BOBLME programme guideline for national report were followed: ¾ Assessment of the status and development potential of the coastal and marine environment of the country and its living resources. ¾ Identification and ranking the threats to the coastal and marine environment of the country and its living resources. ¾ Specification and ranking those threats that have transboundary effects on the health of the coastal and marine environment of the country and its living resources as well as its regional and global significance. ¾ Providing a preliminary indication of the cause of those threats; ¾ Summarizing and assessing the action already underway or planned to address those threat and their causes. ¾ Making proposal on specific priority action to address those threats and their causes. ¾ Analysis of the benefits of those priority actions nationally, regionally and globally. ¾ Identify those actions, which could best be undertaken on a regional collaborative basis and suggestion for any data gaps, which needed to study further. ¾ Summarizing the result of the National Workshop and incorporate them as appropriate in the body of the national report. ¾ Listing all those consulted, with a separate list of those stakeholders who could not be consulted as fully as would, otherwise is desirable; and who should be included in a list of priority consultation at the next stage of the process. 1.3. Country Background: Bangladesh comprises a land area of 144,054 km2, with a population of more than 110 million. It is bounded by India on the West, North and Northeast, by Myanmar on the East and Southeast;