Sharmin Akhtar, a mother of two children under the age of 10, stood in front of the cash desk of a shop in Moghbazar. I had bought a special 800 gram pack of ‘Haorer Panch Mishali Maach’ among other things, but now I was contemplating whether to buy some chicken or beef as well.
“I’m not sure if my kids will want to eat the fish curry. No matter how hard I try, they often refuse to take a single bite of fish,” she shared in a rather disappointing tone.
“Since the kids don’t want to eat fish, I always have to have a meat option available for them,” she added.
Sharmin is not alone in facing challenges with her children’s reluctance to eat fish. Almost all the parents of children and young people we spoke to shared similar experiences.
Meherin Tripti, 16, shared her reason for not liking fish: “Because I can’t stand the smell of fish, it’s fishy.”
He also expressed his dislike of fish bones, citing several childhood memories of them getting stuck in his throat. “I don’t want to take any more risks,” he said.
Needless to say, most of the young people we spoke to also spoke along the same lines, with some commenting that their parents found it more convenient to serve meat during their childhood, which made them not develop fish-eating habits .
Interestingly, however, the existing data does not actually reflect the decline in fish consumption among the country’s younger generation, as “there has been no survey or study of fish consumption focused on any specific age group,” said Dr. Badrun Nessa Ahmed. which has been conducting research on fish, food value and nutrition for the past few years.
In contrast, the 2022 Household Income and Expenditure Survey conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics indicates that Bangladeshis are consuming slightly more fish than before. In 2016, daily per capita consumption of fish was recorded at 62.6 grams, increasing to 67.8 grams in 2022.
Also, another 2017 study suggests that people in Bangladesh were eating 30% more fish than 20 years ago.
“Many middle and lower-middle class people are forced to turn to fish as their main source of protein as even the price of broiler chicken is beyond the reach of many people,” commented Dr Ahmed , also a senior researcher from Bangladesh. Institute of Development Studies.
But another paradox is that “although global fish consumption has increased over the past few decades, it does not necessarily translate into obtaining more essential nutrients from fish,” he added.
In fact, several studies suggest that the amount of important nutrients derived from fish is declining in the country. As a result, more than 20 million women and children in Bangladesh are malnourished, either with anemia (women) or stunting (children and adolescents).
Therefore, the trend of fish consumption in Bangladesh raises a two-fold question: why are young people in Bangladesh losing interest in eating fish, and why is the global increase in fish consumption failing to ensure a fully nourished population and healthy?
Consultations with experts in this regard revealed that the improvisation of traditional methods of cooking fish could be a solution to arouse the interest of young people in the consumption of fish.
However, it is also crucial to note that while the amount of fish consumed in Bangladesh has increased, the nutritional quality has decreased due to a shift from small, nutrient-rich native fish to less nutritious farmed fish.
Why the younger generation does not want to eat fish
According to experts, the reason why the younger generation is losing interest in eating fish lies directly with their parents.
“Especially among city dwellers, parents nowadays are not interested in cleaning and cooking fish as many of them are service owners,” said Dr Md Abdul Wahab, a professor of marine fisheries and aquaculture at BSMR Maritime University.
He also mentioned bones as a major issue that discourages the younger generation from eating fish; while the parents also do not help to remove the bones and help the children to eat fish.
WorldFish, an international non-profit research and innovation organization that reduces hunger, malnutrition and poverty in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, also recognized this trend among Bangladeshi parents.
He identified that a change in the method of cooking fish could be useful for the younger generation and recently organized fish cooking demonstrations in several villages in Rajshahi and Rangpur districts.
He showed how small indigenous fish like mola, dhela and darkina can be minced, including the head and eyes, before adding them to the khichuri. This ensures that the dish is delicious while minimizing the risk of fish bones getting stuck in children’s throats.
Dr. Ahmed explained, based on the results of her research, that the younger generation can be attracted to eating fish, “as long as the preparation is unique.”
According to her, the traditional way of cooking fish in Bangladesh does not appeal to the younger generation because “their taste buds are different”.
“Teenagers don’t enjoy the typical curry or fried preparation of raw fish. However, if the fish is served in different ways, such as making fish balls or mixing fish powder with soup, they are much more likely to enjoy these dishes,” she. explained
Why an increase in fish consumption is not enough
Despite the overall increase in fish consumption in Bangladesh, which corresponds with the increase in aquaculture fish production, the main reason for malnutrition among children and women is the lack of availability and affordability of fish that are really beneficial for health.
In the fiscal year 2022-23, the total fish production was 49.15 lakh MT, which is a remarkable increase of 82% over the last 15 years. Overall, Bangladesh is a world leader, ranking third in fish extraction from open water bodies and fifth in aquaculture production. By 2041, the country also aims to produce 85 lakh mt of fish.
However, “the poorest section of our population cannot afford to buy good fish. They depend mainly on small silver carp, small-sized pangas and low-quality tilapia. These fish lack essential micronutrients such as calcium, zinc, iron, vitamins A, vitamin B12. as well as high-quality protein,” said Dr. Wahab, also a retired professor of fisheries management at the Bangladesh Agricultural University.
On the other hand, the main sources of essential micronutrients are small fish with soft bones, such as mola, dhela, darkina and chela. However, these types of fish are not widely available in most areas of the country, except in the large beel areas.
“The price of these small indigenous fish species is also very high and is not affordable for the rural poor and urban poor communities,” Dr Wahab added.
He also pointed out that due to the degradation of many rivers, connected beels and low-lying areas in the greater Khulna and parts of Rajshahi regions, the natural abundance of fish with high nutrient content is no longer available.
Meanwhile, Dr Ahmed explained the difference between ‘capture fish’ (caught from the wild) and ‘farmed fish’ (fish reared under controlled conditions).
In particular, aquaculture, or fish farming, has expanded rapidly since its introduction in Bangladesh in the 1980s.
Dr Ahmed described that although there has been a “blue revolution” in the country due to the boom in aquaculture, which has resulted in an increase in fish production and consumption, it is not effectively addressing people’s nutritional needs.
This is because aquaculture is dominated by a handful of large fish species, both native and exotic. Usually only the flesh of these large fish is eaten, which, although a rich source of high-quality protein, is generally lower in micronutrients.
So Dr. Ahmed believes that just because people in general are consuming more fish is not necessarily positive news. It is also important to ensure that small native fish are accessible to everyone. Currently there are about 300 species of small indigenous fishes available in Bangladesh.
In addition, the way these fish are prepared and cooked can also affect their nutritional value.
For example, many people in Bangladesh tend to fry their fish before cooking it. Although this method aligns with the taste preferences of the people of Bangladesh, it can lead to a loss of nutrients and an increase in fat content and cholesterol levels.
“If the preparation or cooking method is not improved, it will not be possible to obtain an adequate nutritional value, nor will the younger generation be interested in consuming them”, he concluded.
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