Bangladesh Sees Rise in Ray, Shark Fishing as Traditional Seafood Species Dwindle

Why It Matters

Escalating illegal harvest threatens Bangladesh’s marine biodiversity and undermines food security, while exposing gaps in wildlife law enforcement that could affect regional trade compliance.

Key Takeaways

• Illegal ray and shark catches surged in 2024
• Traditional fish catches falling, prompting cheaper alternatives
• Export demand drives dried fins and ray skins trade
• Weak enforcement lets protected species enter markets
• Conservationists urge subsidies and awareness for fishers

Pulse Analysis

Bangladesh’s coastal communities are turning to sharks and rays as traditional fish stocks dwindle, driven by falling prices and a burgeoning market for dried fins and skins in East and Southeast Asia. Artisanal fishers, facing reduced catches of staple species, find the large, inexpensive rays and sharks a quick source of income, prompting a surge in illegal harvests that culminated in a recent seizure of 400 kg of stingrays and the detention of 22 individuals. This shift reflects broader pressures on the Bay of Bengal’s marine ecosystem, where over‑exploitation and habitat degradation have already reduced fish diversity by nearly 20% since the 1970s, pushing vulnerable shark and ray populations toward extinction.

Despite the Bangladesh Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2012 categorising these species as protected, enforcement remains fragmented. Limited patrol resources, inadequate monitoring of coastal landing sites, and a lack of awareness among fishers enable illegal catches to slip through regulatory nets. The illicit trade not only contravenes national law but also threatens Bangladesh’s compliance with international conventions such as CITES, potentially jeopardising trade relationships with key export destinations like China, Thailand, and Singapore. Moreover, the loss of apex and mesopredators disrupts marine food webs, reducing ecosystem resilience and compromising the long‑term sustainability of fisheries that millions rely on for protein.

Addressing the crisis requires a multi‑pronged approach: strengthening on‑the‑ground enforcement, expanding community‑based monitoring, and providing targeted subsidies or alternative livelihood programs for vulnerable fishers. Education campaigns that highlight the ecological role of sharks and rays can shift cultural perceptions, while traceability mechanisms for seafood can deter illegal supply chains. Regional cooperation with neighbouring countries to curb cross‑border trafficking, coupled with robust data collection on illegal catches, will enable policymakers to craft evidence‑based regulations that protect biodiversity without sacrificing the economic wellbeing of coastal populations.