Institute Profile: Departments under the Faculty of Fisheries, BAU

Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics:

This department was established in 1996. Currently, there are 13 teachers in the department. The department has so far produced 10 PhD and 176 MS, at present 8 students are enrolled for PhD. Breeding and genetic improvement of fish and other aquatic animals of commercial and recreational importance, cryopreservation of fish gametes as well as conservation of biodiversity are the main research focus. The department has established Fish Physiology, Ichthyology and Wet lab with modest facilities for implementing both teaching and research programme.

The department has also developed an advanced Fish Genetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory with facilities for genetic studies and research.

Both fundamental and adaptive research works related to taxonomy, biodiversity, functional morphology, reproductive biology, breeding, larval and fry rearing, genetics and biotechnology of fishes and other aquatic organism have been carried out by teachers and graduate students of this department. The department has developed the culture of tubificid worms used as live food for larval rearing of fishes, induced breeding techniques, larvae rearing of African magur (Clarias gariepinus), native Pangus ( Pangasius pangasius ), Pabda (Ompok pabda), Rita (Rita rita) and some other fishes. Results of these research studies have been incorporated at the fish hatcheries for better production as well as maintaining pure brood stock. The department has made considerable progress in developing facilities, expertise and in lunching sophisticated research on fish genetics. Cryopreservation of fish sperms, techniques to identify hybrids, use of masculinized hormone in fish feed to produce monosex tilapia are the examples of technology development through fish genetics research. Hybridization, selective breeding, karyological studies, chromosome manipulation, isozyme and allozyme electrophoresis, use of DNA markers i.e. RAPD, microsatellite for studying intra and interspecific diversity of different fish species are also being conducted in his department.

Currently this department is conducting problem-oriented researches through collaborative and coordinated programme. Many of the fish hatcheries are facing management related problems like inbreeding, cost-effective larval rearing techniques for different fish species. The department is making outstanding efforts in conducting research on such demanded areas. Fish species diversity and genetic variation is under threat due to natural and human induced reasons. In this context, the researchers in this department are conducting several research works now e. g. development of induced breeding of snakehead murrel, mohashol, baghair, gulsha, tengra; conservation of small indigenous species, population genetics of giant freshwater prawn, genetic variation study and stock improvement of Indian major carps and tilapia etc.

Contact:
Head
Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics
Bangladesh Agricultural University
Mymensingh – 2202, Bangladesh.
Web: www.bau.edu.bd/Department-of-Fisheries-Biology-and-Genetics

 

Department of Aquaculture:

Aquaculture studies have started under the Department of Aquaculture and Management in 1967 and the Department of Aquaculture in 1996. The department has 15 teaching staffs specialized in different branches of aquaculture.

The number of students achieved M.S. and PhD until 2011 were about 1500 and 25 respectively. The department has developed 2 specialized laboratories for Fish Nutrition and Fish Disease related research.

Besides these, facilities with a large number of ponds and tanks have been developed for applied research. In 1980s, artificial fish seed production technology and culture of Magur (Clarias batrachus) and Shing (Heteropneustes fossilis) developed by the Department of Aquaculture made fish available at the farmer level. Following this, seed production and culture technologies of carps have been developed considering the need of farmers. In 1990s, the technological development of mono- and poly-culture of carps, tilapia and catfish made a major breakthrough of aquaculture at the farmer level. Decentralized fish seed production technology at the farmer level has been developed through a collaborative research project. Fish feed formulation and production technologies have been developed and this service for the farmers is being delivered from this department. Different diagnostic and treatment methods of fish disease have been developed and disseminated to the farmers.

Such direct and indirect academic and research contribution of the department impacted positively on the national aquaculture production, the Bangladesh ranked itself 6th of top Aquaculture producing countries in the world.

The current research interests are related to artificial breeding, spawning, fry nursing of non-conventional, threatened and ornamental fish and other aquatic animals. The cutting edge research related to Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) involving fish, mollusk, and aquatic plants is showing a new dimension of aquaculture with respect to the augmenting the productivity of millions old pond in Bangladesh.

Research activities with aquaponics are being carried out to make the aquaculture system sustainable and to produce variety of foods. Toward low-cost fish feed production, research is under-way using alternative source of feed ingredients. The research activities with emerging fish disease diagnosis techniques including histopathological diagnosis, rapid immunodiagnosis and promote Good Aquaculture Practices (GAPs) considering ecological aspects (e.g. GIS and RS based zoning), production technologies, biological aspects, food safety issues, socio-economic and ethical issues, expert trade and emerging certification schemes toward development of sustainable aquaculture production and trade in home and abroad.

Contact:
Head
Department of Aquaculture
Bangladesh Agricultural University
Mymensingh – 2202, Bangladesh.
web: www.bau.edu.bd/Department-of-Aquaculture

 

 

 

Department of Fisheries Management:

Since its inception the Department of Fisheries Management has given strong emphasis on research as a means of enhancing knowledge in the relevant fields. The research programmes have been developed from its original interest in Limnology and Fisheries Management and now covers many areas of both fundamental and applied nature of fisheries sector. Research work is carried out either through the post-graduate student’s thesis programme or as project based research. Both for research work and undergraduate student’s class, the department maintain 3 different laboratories. Among theses, Water Quality and Pond Dynamics Laboratory, a specialized laboratory, is established through formal link programme with the University of Starling, Scotland, UK under a starling-BAU link project.

A significant number of research projects have been conducted through collaboration with national and international institutes and universities like the Imperial College, London; Institute os Aquaculture, University of Starling, UK; Middlesex University, UK; Exeter University, UK; Shanghai Ocean University, China; Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand; University of Michigan, USA; Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands and Kyushu University, Japan. The department has strong linkage with almost all donor agencies working in Bangladesh and the major employers of fisheries graduates such as Department of Fisheries (DoF) and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI). Research funding have been obtained from international Foundation for Science (IFS, Sweden), European Commission (EC), and USAID (CDR,CRSP) for some on-going projects of the department.

A number of research projects are currently on-going including: Sustain Ethical Aquaculture Trade (SEAT)- Funded by EU; building capacity to manage the coastal zone in a changing climate- funded by DFID/British Council-INSPIRE; improving sustainability and reducing environmental impacts of aquaculture systems in China, and Southeast Asia- Funded by USAID Aquafish CRSP; prawn culture technology; population dynamics of Hilsa and recommendation of stakeholders conflict; haor fisheries management and community based fisheries management.

Contact:
Head
Department of Fisheries Management
Bangladesh Agricultural University
Mymensingh – 2202, Bangladesh.
web: www.bau.edu.bd/Department-of-Fisheries-Management

 

Department of Fisheries Technology:

This department was established in1967. At present there are 9 Professors, 1 Associate Professor and 1 Assistant Professor in this department. Since the establishment of this department, 5 students achieved PhD degree, at present 2 are studying to achieve PhD degree; 210 students have achieved M.Sc. and M.S. degree from this department and 27 are studying for M.S. degree.

Like other departments it possesses 3 laboratories to perform research work and classes.

Both fundamental and applied research is conducted in this department. The themes of applied research are chosen on the basis of identification of problems in the field level. Technologies have been developed for the better use of underutilized fish of Bangladesh coasts as well as to increase the storage life of traditional semi-fermented fish product. HACCP concept for quality and safety aspect of prawn, frozen prawn, fish, processed fish and fishery products have been disseminated in Bangladesh. A number of technologies have been developed for fish and fishery products such as low-cost ice box for effective handling and transportation of wet fish in rural areas, community ice-box for preserving unsold fish and ice-block in fish market, solar tunnel for production of pesticide free dried fish, improved earthen oven for smoking of shrimp, improved processes and packaging for salted fish, fermented fish/shrimp paste, value-added tasty minced products like fish burger, fish sausage, fish stick, fish finger, fish ball etc. A sustainable technology on use of solar drier for fish drying has been developed which is in use at Cox’s Bazar for sea fish drying. Traceability framework has been developed, tested in 3 upzilla as a tool for monitoring Food Safety and Quality Assurance of Shrimp in value chain which has been disseminated in Processing Industries. Development of value-added product (fish ball and fish stick) from low priced fish has been attempted for the better use of freshwater fish.

Current research interests of the department include composition study of various freshwater fish and sea fish and fishery product, microbiology of fish, processed fish and fish products, biochemical changes that take place during processing and storage of fish, development of novel fish products and consumer’s response to such products, development of novel products from sea weeds and consumers response, biochemical composition of such novel products. Quality assurance of fish and fishery products, safety aspect of fish and fishery product, microbiology of fish and fishery products, shell fish is another area of research interest.

Contact:
Head
Department of Fisheries Technology
Bangladesh Agricultural University
Mymensingh – 2202, Bangladesh.
web: www.bau.edu.bd/Department-of-Fisheries-Technology

 

Acknowledgement:

• Dr. M. Mahfujul Haque (PhD, Aquaculture Systems and Development, Stirling, UK), Professor, Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202.
• Dr. Gias Uddin Ahmed, Professor, Department of Aquaculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Faculty of Fisheries, Mymensingh-2202.
• Dr. Mostafa Ali Reza Hossain, Professor, Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202.
• Dr. Mst. Kaniz Fatema, Assistant Professor, Department of Fisheries Management, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202.
• Dr. ABM Mohsin, Department of Fisheries, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.
• Maruf Hossain Minar, Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202.
• Anas Al Islam, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202.

 

References:

• Academic, Research and Technological Achievements and Future Vision of Bangladesh Agricultural University (Keynote paper) , Symposium on the occasion of Golden jubilee and Alumni Reunion, 03-04 January, 2013, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
• Official website of BAU, www.bau.edu.bd

 

Notes:

• More Photographs are available here.
• Details information about the Faculty of Fisheries, BAU are available here.

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