ACCORDING to data released by the Department of Fisheries, total fish exports rose in 2007-08 fiscal year, while shrimp exports fell. The overall amount of fishery products exported rose by about 8000 metric tonnes compared to the 2006-07 fiscal year.

In 2007-08 fiscal year, Myanmar exported about 352,600 metric tonnes of fishery products and earned about US$561 million from the sector, significantly bettering the $460 earned in 2006-07. However, it was well short of the $750 target set for the sector.

The exports include about 243,000 tonnes of fish, which earned about $315 million, about $75 million more than in 2006-07. Most exported fish are farmed Rohu.

But the department data show that shrimp exports fell to about 21,000 tonnes last year, much less than the 25,000 tonnes recorded for the 2006-07 year.

This reduced output contributed to lower earnings of $103 million; 2006-07 earnings were $120 million. Officials said the shortfall in shrimp exports was due to the combination of a drop in domestic shrimp farming output and a reduced catch from Myanmar’s seas.

“We see that fewer shrimp have been caught from the sea compared to previous years, which we obviously see as a sign of shrinking resources,” U Han Tun, central executive member of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation, said.

He added that shrimp from the sea was the second most important export item after farmed fish.

“Near the coast in Rakhine State in the Bay of Bengal, which is the main shrimp-catching area of Myanmar, catching rates are slumping and we guess we cannot depend on that particular resource anymore,” U Han Tun said.

In 1991-92, about 96.4 kilograms of shrimp could be caught per hour in the area, but now the catch has dropped to about 10kg per hour, according to U Han Tun, who says farmed fish are the most reliable export commodity for the fisheries industry.

U Hnin Oo, vice chairman of the Myanmar Shrimp Association, said the country’s shrimp farming industry is struggling to survive.

“One of the reason we cannot compete is production costs. We face higher costs than other countries,” U Hnin Oo said.

But a department official praised the efforts made by the fisheries businesspeople and entrepreneurs over the past year.

“Every company tried its best to export as much as they could despite the many difficulties in the export sector last year,” said U Khin Maung Aye, the director general of the department.

“Our exporters need to know more about the global market situation and collect data relating to our competitors. And we need to upgrade our processing factories to add value to our fishery products,” U Khin Maung Aye said.