As a service provider on the BIF-supported Shiblee project, I am assisting the development of an entrepreneur-driven fish farming industry based on cage culture practices in southern Bangladesh. Since my first blog on this project, recent developments took place at a meeting in Dhaka on 24 April, where Mostafa Shiblee (MD of Shiblee Hatchery & Farms) and I updated BIF project staff (Tom Harrison, Jenny Furmidge, Nazmul Hasan andKieran Archer) on our recent review of the proposed sites and buisness models.

New sites had been selected bearing in mind that some of the previous sites were too exposed to the weather elements, evident when they were revisited in April when a storm was brewing. Also some sites originally selected were discovered to be "Closed Waters" thus being subject to self pollution and other intense local interest such as local fisheries and irrigation interests. Finally two sites were selected that do not have these problems.

The project will assist many local industries such as boatbuilding.

A new business proposal that sets out a 50:50 split between contract farming and an employee model was described and a model for the individual contract farmer was tabled. Revenue streams were listed for the proposed overarching New Company.

There is strong confidence in this project from all involved and a Business Plan will be forthcoming by the end of May.

Anindita Shoma and Aurin Monsura, students from Dhaka University attended the meeting as observers.