Boosting fish production
What is worrying
is that due to continuous human interventions in the last couple of years the bio-diversity of the haors is on the verge of extinction
Fisheries officials at a community level discussion in Rajshahi said that fish production could easily be increased to a great extent in the country through the best use of existing natural water resources, especially major rivers and their tributaries, according to a report in this newspaper recently. From time immemorial fish has been meeting the protein requirement for human body. Bangladesh is endowed with scores of rivers, marshes and canals crisscrossing it. Apart from natural breeding of fishes in different water bodies, fishes are grown by undertaking pisciculture projects. Many such projects have sprung up in different places of the country in recent times.
What is worrying is that due to continuous human interventions in the last couple of years the bio-diversity of the haors is on the verge of extinction in the country. The haors in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Netrakona, Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria were once considered as the food basket of the country. Those were the repositories of many tasty fishes. But the fish and other resources of these haors are declining fast.
Once there were many varieties of naturally bred fish in the water bodies of the country but some varieties have faced extinction due to widespread use of poisonous pesticides, insecticides and chemical fertilisers in croplands. Catching of mother fishes during the breeding period and fish fry with current nets are no less responsible for the declining fish production. The government should protect the existing water bodies in the interest of increasing fish production in the country. Survival of millions of fishermen is dependent on fish resources. So, it is the responsibility of the relevant authorities to protect their interest. Public awareness in this regard should also be built up.
Grabbing of wetlands by a section of influential people is contributing to the shrinkage of the wetlands. The rivers and water bodies around Dhaka are shrinking day by day. Besides, many ponds and water bodies are lying unutilised throughout the country. Those should be brought under fish cultivation. Provision of bank loans on easy terms and conditions and adequate training to the fish culturists, particularly jobless youths, can give impetus in this regard.
On the other hand, poisoning of valuable fish in ponds and other water bodies makes newspaper headlines very often. Vigilance on the part of the fish culturists and rural volunteers, particularly at night can stop this. Conservation of the water resources and other wetlands has become indispensable for the sake of boosting fish production. The water resources should be freed from all sorts of pollution and contamination so that the indigenous fish species can be saved from extinction.
