Shrimp industry insiders bin EJF\\\'s report

Sonia H Moni
The latest report of Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is an attempt to malign Bangladesh's shrimp industry when it is working with the government and development partners to ensure well-being of the workers, said industry insiders.
The EJF report did not follow right methodology of survey, made hasty conclusions and did not bother to consult either the industry people or the government before releasing the report. Nobody expected such a report from an internationally reputed organisation like EJF, they also said.
The EJF's report, titled 'Impossibly Cheap: Abuse and Injustice in Bangladesh's Shrimp Industry,' and a film launched on January 16, reveals 'evidences of human rights violation and labour abuse', which take place at every stage of the Bangladeshi Shrimp industry.
Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) chairman Syed Mahmudul Huq told the FE: "The EJF report is based on data, collected mostly from secondary sources."
"It is based on two case studies conducted on only two farmers out of total 207,336 farmers registered with the Department of Fisheries (DoF). It is not clear from the report if these farmers are registered with DoF or not."
"The report did not take into cognizance the improvements achieved in workers' working conditions in the fisheries sector, especially since 2007, as a part of response from the government and private sector to the USTR (United States Trade Representative) GSP hearing."
He said the government and BSFF have embarked on a series of programmes for promoting Good Aquaculture Practices (GAqP) in the sector, and creating awareness among stakeholders of value chain relating to food safety, environmental sustainability and social acceptability of mode of production.
BSFF and DoF have already prepared some codes of conduct for nine major segments of the aquaculture industry for obligating the industry to comply with the rules and regulations under different acts, like - Fish and Shrimp Hatchery Act, Fish and Animal Feed Act, and Fish and Fish Products' Inspection and Quality Control Act.
The EJF report cited involvement of child labour in fry collection. But as per Fish Protection and Conservation Act 1950, collection of fry from nature is illegal.
Currently, about 65 Bagda hatcheries and about 10 Galda hatcheries, operating in Bangladesh, are good enough to meet the demand of farming sector given the current level of stocking density.
Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association (BFFEA) official Md Amin Ullah said: "We are quite capable of producing adequate post-larvae or fry for shrimp culture. So we do not need to catch fry from nature."
"This sort of report will create a negative impact on customers and new buyers. But our existing buyers, who come to Bangladesh and visit our hatchery, farm and processing plant, know about us," he added.
Besides, a tripartite memorandum of agreement was signed on March 24, 2013 among BFFEA, BSFF and American Center for International Labor Solidarity (Solidarity Center) for promotion of the ILO Core Labor Standards and the Bangladesh Labor Act, 2006 in the Bangladesh shrimp processing plants.
A six-member committee, comprising the officials of DoF FIQC, BFFEA, BSFF and Bangladesh Economic Growth Programme, is working on the EJF report.
They will evaluate the report and made a proactive report, based on the real scenario of Bangladesh's shrimp industry. The report will be finalized soon, according to the committee members.