Protective measures were instated progressively from March 17^th, evolving into a ten-day nationwide holiday from March 26^th. Offices closed and the population was encouraged to stay at home and practice social distancing. During this time, thousands of migrant workers left the capital city Dhaka to return to their places of origin. It was recently announced that the lockdown would be extended until May 5^th. By the beginning of May, Bangladesh had registered 8790 confirmed cases and 175 deaths.

The crisis has exacerbated underlying inequalities, and malnutrition burdens amongst the poorest. Many workers subsisting on daily wages have seen their incomes disappear and have faced difficulties buying food as a result. A drop in demand for fresh produce including fish from aquaculture was reported at the beginning of April.

Impacts on fisheries and aquaculture: Impacts from the lockdown were felt across the sector with restrictions on movement rendering fishers and fish farmers unable to move their produce to markets. Customers reportedly deserted retail markets due to fear of infection and lockdown measures, causing the price of fish to fall sharply. These factors left small scale fishers of the southern district of Jhalokati in great distress due to their reduced incomes and ability to purchase food. Adding to this burden, fish traders were reported to be unable to access ice needed to store fish.

Fish farmers from the Kishoreganj, Mymensingh and Netrokona districts were also affected to the suspension of inter-district transportation. It was reported that fish that would otherwise have been  sold at markets across the country has remained in ponds, delaying the start of the next fish production cycle. As a result, some farmers are unable to afford to feed their fish and are facing large financial losses. Farms also report having difficulty finding workers for harvesting due to their fear of the virus. This situation may in turn impact fish seed production by hatcheries and nurseries, with implications for food security in the longer run. One fish farmer stated future income remained uncertain as mass migration from cities, where most of the fish usually goes, back to rural areas, could lead to a decrease in demand and prices. It was said the financial crisis could therefore result in fish farm workers losing their jobs.

Fish processing has also been badly affected, including frozen shrimp and dried fish production. Fish drying activity usually peaks during the last months of the sea fishing season, which lasts until May. At Najirartek in Cox’s Bazar - one of the largest fish drying sites in Bangladesh - fishing is reported to have halted for the past month, leaving 30,000 processing workers, two-thirds of whom are women, out of work. Dried fish was said to be left stranded in warehouses and shops at Bangladesh’s largest dried fish wholesale market in Asadganj Bazar, Chittagong, due to the markets closure since March 26^th. Export agreements for both shrimp and dried fish were also said to have been momentarily suspended.

Bangladesh sells 70% of the black tiger shrimp it produces to the restaurant sector in north-western Europe, leading analysts to predict major difficulties for the country’s shrimp sector if the European hospitality sector does not rebound quickly. Bangladesh’s crab farming industry had already been hit hard in February when Chinese borders closed. Exports had eventually resumed but were halted again when Bangladesh shut down all its airports on March 23^rd. It was reported the industry is mainly comprised of poor smallholder farmers, with China account for around 85% of Bangladesh’s crab exports. Losses were estimated by the Live Crab and Eel Fish Exporters Association to reach $46.9 million with crabs dying, domestic market prices crashing due to surplus supply, and crab farmers being driven into debt.

Responses and adaptations: The Bangladesh Navy reportedly alerted fishers and their families in the coastal areas to raise awareness while distributing masks and disinfectant soaps. The national government is reported to have taken several measures have been taken by to ease the financial stresses upon fish farmers. The government opened a ‘control room’ at the beginning of April including a hotline where people involved in fisheries could call for assistance. Fishery officials were said to be drawing up a list for the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock so they could be included as part of a $0.6 billion national financial assistance stimulus package. Exporters were specifically looking for interest free loans from the government to help salvage their business and alleviate pre-existing bank loans. Innovative measures such as digital platforms to match farmers with potential buyers in case of product surplus were also said to be under development.

The nationwide lockdown, characterized by a very strict confinement period, ended on May 17^th. Prime Minister Modi qualified the next stage as a “lockdown 4.0”, stating it would be focused on battling the disease in combination with a slow easing of measures. These could vary per state and number of cases. New challenges emerged as stranded migrant workers started making their way back to their home states. Many tested positive for COVID-19, sparking fears of a surge in imported cases. By mid-May, India had registered 90,615 confirmed cases and 2,871 deaths.

Worries of food insecurity continued to rise. While staple cereal production and stocks were forecast to be sufficient, the future availability and supply of fresh food including quality proteins was said to be more uncertain due to supply chain disruptions and perishability. Disruptions could have wide consequences as 92% of foods consumed in India are reported to be purchased through food supply chains. Simultaneously, India's unemployment rate soared from less than 7% in mid-march to 27% at the beginning of May. This figure is particularly troublesome as job security is closely associated with food and nutrition security. Doctors stated that informal migrant workers were particularly at risk as some of them were traveling to their homes by foot and only surviving on one meal of grains a day, lacking much needed sources of micronutrients. In addition, a study conducted on 5000 households in twelve different states found that 50% were eating fewer meals each day and 68% had reduced the number of items in their meals after the lockdown was instated. On the other hand, a chair professor for Agriculture at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) expressed that India had done a relatively good job at keeping its 1.37 billion population fed during the lockdown, avoiding large scale riots and price spikes.

In the midst of lockdown uncertainty, the state of Kerala ordered a large amount of legumes and other essentials to ensure sufficient food for its population for the next three months. Widening the diversity of food baskets procured was said to be important to prevent any hidden hunger in the shape of micro-nutrient deficiencies.

The spread of the pandemic also put a halt to health programs for pregnant women and children and school feeding projects where many pupils get their only nutritious meal of the day.

Impacts on fisheries and aquaculture: Thousands of migrant fishers working on large private boats were reportedly still stuck in harsh conditions during the second week of May. Reports of abandoned fish in Goa surfaced as local fishermen said they were unable to transport it and the wholesale market was closed. Fishers from Tamil Nadu also reported that the government had allowed them to fish during the lockdown but that many markets were closed. In Mumbai, several of the most popular fish markets were said to be completely shut down, leaving local fishers in dire need of alternative sources of income. In the Mira Bhayandar area, one fish selling point was allowed from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. to help the local fishers preserve their livelihood.

In order to regulate the shrimp market, the state government of Andhra Pradesh set a maximum price of Rs 0.35 ($0.0046) for post-larvae shrimp from hatcheries. They expected farmers would be re-stocking in May and June and that shortages would occur in the coming months. The government also stated it would facilitate the movement of broodstock to hatcheries by issuing special quarantine storage import areas and allowing vehicles to circulate.

Responses and adaptations: In the fishing sector, a variety of mitigation strategies were put in place. In Tamil Nadu, social distancing norms were instated in landing centres and retailers were requested not to come there directly. Fishers were also instructed to go out fishing on alternate days. In Kerala, the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) launched an online GIS based database indicating the proximity of landing centres to COVID-19 hotspots. It was said this would be a useful tool for regulation and safety measures. In Mumbai, two unemployed workers turned to buying fish in bulk and delivering it as a way to earn a livelihood.

In Odisha and Assam, WorldFish supported the state governments to prepare guidelines for easing lockdown restrictions on fisheries sector. The guidelines covered social distancing in landing centers and fish markets, re-starting seafood processing plants, ice factories, net factories and net mending sheds, fish feed mills, fishing and aquaculture activities, and transportation of fish and fish products. WorldFish supported the state governments to prepare publicity materials including TV and radio spots, and newspaper advertisements promoting the message “Fish is safe and nutritious to consume during COVID-19”. WorldFish has also supported the Government of Odisha Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department to prepare a financial support package for stakeholders in fisheries sector affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.

Several stimulus packages were announced by the Indian government to help re-boost the economy. On May 12^th, Prime Minister Modi announced an Rs 20 lakh crore ($265 billion) financial package to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. The minister of finance later announced that $20 Billion would be devoted to agricultural sectors and fisheries. Specifically, over Rs 20,000 crore ($264 million) will be allocated to the fishery sector. Details of the scheme stated it will help fill in critical gaps in fish value chains, and develop sustainable marine and inland fisheries, as well as infrastructure such as cold chains and markets. This move was expected to provide future employment opportunities and increase exports. The Indian minister of finance also announced a stimulus package to help create affordable housing for the urban poor, provide Rs 1,500 crore ($198 million) to small businesses and extend credit for street vendors, farmers and middle class housing. The World Bank initiated a $1-billion program to support social security measures for migrant workers. The package was said to include free food assistance for 80 million migrant workers to alleviate their lack of safety nets.

Access previous country updates on fish and aquatic food systems in the link below:

Lockdown measures were relaxed from May 15^th and highway public transportation was set to resume gradually. Despite this, a semi-lockdown was extended in the ten most affected townships of Yangon. In Yangon’s Yankin township, residents decided to take matters into their own hands and institute a self-imposed lockdown due to fears of contamination. By mid-May, Myanmar had registered 181 confirmed cases and 6 deaths.

A disruption in the rice planting cycle was reported as farmers were said not to have received financial help to curb their losses due to the lockdown restrictions. New monsoon rice  crops are usually started in early May and delays sparked future food security worries. It was reported agricultural workers and tenant farmers were some of the most economically affected populations. Sweetcorn farmers suffered from a halt in Chinese imports and sweetcorn was said to being thrown away daily at the border. Meanwhile, hundreds of newly unemployed Thailand-based migrant workers were still waiting to cross the border to go back home to Myanmar, hundreds of migrant workers from Malaysia and Singapore arrived back in Myanmar by Air, and 6,300 garment factory workers in Myanmar were stated to have lost their jobs.

Impacts on fisheries and aquaculture: The Myanmar Fisheries Products Processors & Exporters Association (MPEA) is projecting the largest loss in history for the six months between March and August. The fishery sector was said to face one of its biggest crises as export demand continued to plummet in May following a disastrous month of April. As a result, some cold storage facility factories were initially closed due to lack of revenue and later due to lockdown measures. This coupled with low demand was said to have forced some fishing businesses to cease their activity and dock their boats at Yangon’s port. Delays in re-opening the factories could also disrupt the production of fish seed and farmed fish. On a positive note, the Myanmar Trade Promotion Organization stated that Sri Lanka wanted to purchase crop and fishery products, and India wants to buy pulses

Responses and coping mechanisms: The government announced a COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan (CERP) at the end of April and international development partners were said to be contributing $2 billion. The aim of the plan is to help private sector businesses with monetary stimulus, assist laborers, workers and households, and strengthen the health care system. In addition, the World Bank approved a $50 million emergency loan to support health care facilities in the fight against COVID -19. Some small business owners were unsure whether they would receive CERP aid at the time of need. For instance, it was uncertain whether rice farmers would receive aid by the end of year, meaning they could risk missing a whole crop season if the funds arrived too late.

Micro-finance loans which were stopped by the government in order to prevent the spread of the virus were also said to be crucial to help the farmers re-start their activity as soon as possible. The largest microfinance institution in Myanmar stated it was critical for policy makers to make loan disbursements possible and ease mobility among farmers.

At the beginning of May, Myanmar approved more than 3.5 billion kyats (US$2.5 million) for industrial and tourism employers. The tourism and garment sectors received government aid, low interest loans as well as aid from EU bodies. The fishery sector was not included in the government’s list of sectors most impacted by the virus and not a recipient of EU subsidies. UNDP   with the Directorate of Industrial Supervision and Inspection (DISI), Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry has set up a 100 billion Kyat COVID19 fund for immediate loans to priority sectors in COVID19 hit areas. Some economists and businesses have said that more support should be provided for essential food producing sectors such as agriculture and fisheries, which affects longer term food security.

Access previous country updates on fish and aquatic food systems in the link below:

WorldFish discussed COVID-19 impacts with Nigerian aquaculture community

Thursday 28^th May, WorldFish virtually met with several representatives from the Nigerian aquaculture community. They included representatives from Catfish and Allied Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFFAN), Tilapia and Aquaculture Developers Association of Nigeria (TADAN), Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON), Nigerian Association of Fisheries Scientists (NAFS), IDIPR Cooperative Farms, fish processors, and corporate sector fish producers and traders. Several issues were brought into the discussion as compelling difficulties currently faced by the aquaculture community.

Most problems faced by fish farmers and processors appear to be centred around the current government-imposed Movement Control Order (MCO) in response to COVID-19. MCO has significantly reduced fish producers’ access to markets. Markets are not open throughout the week for fish sales and access to production inputs, such as feeds, fingerlings, and feed ingredients has also become limited. Consequently, transport costs have gone up significantly and long delays are experienced at checkpoints.

Reduced market access delays harvest resulting prolonged farming cycles. Keeping fish in ponds needs feed and other farm management inputs, requiring additional funds. Farmers are sceptical as to how long they can continue the process with no financial support, and that they will ever be able to sell their produce with profit once the lockdown is lifted. Unfortunately, no good cold-chain facilities exist in Nigerian aquaculture, which prevents possible cold storage during low demand times.

Due to lack of demand market price of catfish and tilapia has significantly reduced throughout the country. Job losses are experiencing along fish value chains are some farmers are already dropping off.

Many are worried that Naira will further devalue and already hiking certain grades of commercial fish feeds will become totally unaffordable to smallholders. Farmers also concern that high imported ingredient prices might result in feeds with suboptimal nutrition, due to supplement by cheap local ingredients.

Fish processors are challenged with low consumer demand for smoked fish and increasing processing cost due to increasing price of spices, packing material, etc. Fish processors argue the fact that during COVID-19 pandemic, fish was not considered by the Government as part of the palliative diet to the most vulnerable. 

Meeting agreed to examine the short-, medium- and long-term actions could jointly be taken by WorldFish and the Nigerian aquaculture community. Second meeting is scheduled in a week, with possible representation of the Federal Department of Fisheries, to discuss possible measures towards improving the situation.

Egypt enacted measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at the end of March including closing airports, gyms, religious institutions, schools and restaurants. A curfew was also instated from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and non-essential shops were required to close at 5 p.m. The curfew was eased at the beginning of the Ramadan period from 9 p.m. amidst workers’ increasing struggles to pay rent and feed families in a pre-holiday period where business is usually booming. By the beginning of May, Egypt had registered 5,895 confirmed cases and 406 deaths.

Impacts on fisheries and aquaculture: Fishers were reported to have experienced financial difficulties due to the suspension of exports, halt in tourism and the closure of other related businesses such as hotels and restaurants. The travel and tourism industry is a leading economic sector in Egypt, representing 20% of GDP and losses up to $5 billion in tourism revenues have been projected. The loss of these markets is reported to have led to fish being sold at very low prices, and some fish markets in Alexandria have closed to reduce gatherings. Closures, low prices and difficulties in finding traders have discouraged fishers from going to sea and most fishing boats are said to be taking a hiatus to support the measures.

Local media has reported that eating fesikh - a type of fermented and salted fish widely consumed during Easter and the spring holiday Sham el-Nessim - could weaken the immune system and enhance susceptibility to COVID-19. It was later reported that sales of fesikh had declined to 30% to 40% of their usual levels. On the other hand, prices of fish including tilapia, mullet, crab and shrimp were reported to have increased by 10% following a reported rise in demand prior to the Ramadan holiday which started April 24^th.

Responses and adaptations: Workers in the informal sector, which reportedly accounts for two out of three jobs, have been promised payments of $32 per month for three months by the government to make up for their lack of social or labour protection. Many informal workers are reported to not yet have received this financial compensation from the state. Fishers were not included in this initiative, sparking union requests to have policies specifically directed towards the fishery sector, as many fish workers do not benefit from government social safety nets.