Dhaka, Delhi to assess hilsa stock

Bangladesh and India have decided to conduct a joint assessment to know about the stocks of hilsa fish in the Bay of Bengal.
Officials of the two neighbouring nations have also agreed to exchange two varieties of fish for commercial cultivation in their respective countries.
The decisions were taken at the first meeting of a joint working group of the countries in Dhaka yesterday, the last day of a two-day discussion.
A four-member Indian delegation took part in the joint-secretary level meeting with an eight-member team from Bangladesh.
The meeting also decided that India would provide Bangladesh with a fast-growing variety of trout called jayanti rohu and another variety of sea bass named koral that can be cultivated in ponds in salinity-prone areas. Both the varieties were developed by Indian researchers.
In return, India showed interest to take katal and tilapia from Bangladesh.  
The joint working group was formed under a memorandum of understanding signed in September 2011 during the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Dhaka visit.
India will also help Bangladeshi fisheries officials develop their skills in stock assessment of marine fisheries. Officials from both the countries will exchange their knowledge and experience in the sector.
Bangladesh will get help from India regarding research on domestication of marine shrimp to get shrimp fries from hatcheries without collecting them from sea or river.
India has also showed its interest to know from Bangladeshi officials their experience on hilsa fish conservation and management.
Indian officials would visit Barisal during a jatka (hilsa fries) conservation week from March 18 to see the activities of hilsa conservation.