Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has announced a plan to take up a project called ‘‘Pilot Project on Tuna and Similar Pelagic Fishing in the Deep Sea” as part of Blue Economy development.

Announcing the new project in his budget speech in parliament, he said that this will open a new horizon in the ocean economy.

He mentioned that the historic sea conquest under the leadership of the current government has paved the way for developing the country’s blue economy.

In 2014, they prepared short-term, medium-term and long-term plan of action to develop the blue economy and harness the potentials of marine resources.

Recently, the action plan has been updated (2018 to 2030) in line with SDGs declared by the United Nations and have started implementing them.

“Through the joint efforts with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN), we have prepared a ‘National Plan of Action’ to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal and unregulated fishing”, he said.

As of February 2022, the fish research and survey vessel ‘RV Meen Sandhani’ has so far conducted 35 survey cruises, he mentioned.