Long-liners want govt to carry out survey on tuna

Country's four novice long-liners that were awarded licence for fishing tuna in the deep sea in the Bay of Bengal are reviewing their decisions as the government once again invited applications for new licence for long-liner and purse-seine fishing.
The four companies-- BANCAN Associates Ltd, Sealink Shipping, SLL Fisheries and Amin Enterprises--- said the Department of Fisheries (DoF) once again asked local companies to seek long-liner licences instead of helping them get afloat in the sea.
Under these licences awarded in August last year, the long-liners and purse-seine will be permitted to fish beyond the depth of 200 metres in the country's maritime area in the Bay of Bengal and in international waters for tuna and other pelagic species.
"We were getting ready to buy our long-line as DoF has awarded us licences. But now we are reviewing our decisions.  We will not start business if the government awards licences to more companies instead of helping us," Managing Director of Sealink Shipping Co Ltd Hasanul Bari told the FE.
He said this is a very risky investment as there is an involvement of a huge sum of money without prior experience and survey or feasibility study on the availability of tuna fish.
"If we go for fishing investing around Tk 400 million and the government does not protect our investment, we will not go ahead."
Deputy Chief (Marine) of DoF Ferdous Ahmed said if nobody comes for fishing tuna, the government will go for fishing in the deep sea on their own initiative.
"We have a plan to float our own long-liner in the Bay, though the plan is at a very initial stage. But we will do it if nobody comes," he said.
Hasanul Bari said, "We are already in talks with a Japanese company to make it our partner. Discussion on purchase of long liner is also at final stage."
He said financial institutions want to see a feasibility study or something that can assure them of their investment.  But the government called applications without any feasibility study.
"I wrote a letter to the fisheries secretary to conduct a study if there is enough stock of tuna fish in the deep sea. They never replied or assured us of carrying out a study or survey," he said.
Out of the five applicants, total four licences were issued on August 6 in 2016 with the conditions to submit detailed proposal and vessel's specification within six months.  But only two licensed companies submitted the progress report to date and only one is accepted by DoF, said an official.
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