Bangladesh has produced 86 percent of hilsha in the world, a few years ago, 65 percent hilsha came from Bangladesh, according to the world Fishers Research Organization. In the last 10 years, hilsha production has increased about 79 percent in the country. According to statistics in the financial year 2008-09, the production of national fish hilsa was 2 lakh 98 thousand tons which has reached at 5 lakh 33 thousand tons in last fiscal year 2018-19. At this time the production has increased by 2 lakh 35 thousand tons and its average growth 6.20 percent in last 10 years. According to the hilsha production data, in 1998-99 produced 2 lakh 14 thousand tons, In 1999-2000, 2 lac 29 thousand tons, in 2001-02, 2 lakh 20 thousand tons. In the financial year 2002-03, the production of hilsha was decreased, during the period produced less than 2 lakh tones.
In the fiscal year 2003-04, the production of hilsha increased by a maximum of 29 percent over the previous year in Bangladesh. The officials of the fisheries department think that the production of hilsha may exceed 5 lakh tones in the 2019-20 financial year. According to the data of Ministry of Fisheries and the department of Livestock, the production is increasing due to various measures including protection of Jatka and mother hilsa. New projects have taken in the form of previous projects to make the production sustainable. A district fisheries officers Maud Ara Momy said, “We have taken various projection to increase hilsha production. Such as, we control the fisherman when the time of born of Jatka, we have to bound using for at least 6 mm net for catching the hilsha in order that the Jatka can pass in the net.”
Beside we have to take a step for fisherman in the egg lying season they refrain for catching fish. An official of the ministry said, “We are strictly enforcing the law to protect hilsa. For hilsa production rise, government has taken various initiatives. I think the production of hilsa will be about 6 lakh tons in the future, he added. An Official said of the Department of Fisheries, “Hilsha contributes to economic development, job creation, export income and supply of meat is immense. About 12 percent of the total fish produced in the country comes from hilsa. Hilsha contributes 1 percent to the total gross domestic product (GDP). According to the Fisheries Department, about 5 lakh people are directly involved in hilsa harvesting and 20 to 25 lakh people are directly or indirectly involved with hilsa trading. In 2016 hilsha has been recognized as a Geographical Indication product of Bangladesh. Hilsa Resource Development and Management Project PD of Department of Fisheries Mohammad Zia Haider Chowdhury said, as the previous project on hilsa resource development has expired and a new project has been taken up.