RANGAMATI: The indigenous fish species are on the verge of extinction in Kaptai lake due to indiscriminate use of harmful pesticides and chemical fertilisers in croplands on the both banks of the lake, random fishing with fine nets and disposal of silt in the lake, reports BSS.
AKM Saiful Islam, senior scientific officer (SSO) of Rangamati River Research Institute (RRRI, said this while talking to the news agency yesterday.
Six species of indigenous fish -- Chiron, local Sorputi, Kaura, Baga Aier, Moinibata and local Pangas -- are found disappeared, while five -- native Mohashur, Modhurpabda, Poya, Gulsha and Sadagunia more-- are at the verge of extinction.
There are 75 species of fish including six foreign varieties and two kinds of shrimps in the lake.
The lake was created in 1961 following construction of the Karnaphuli Hydro Station (KHS), the lone hydel plant of Banglasesh Power Development Board.
The lake, however, varies from 46,000 hectares during
the dry season and 66,600 hectares in the winter, Saiful
Islam said.
The fish production per hectare was 77 kilogram (kg) during the last few years.
The Kaptai Lake Development and Marketing Project (KLDMP) of Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation started fishing in the lake on commercial basis in 1965-66 when it extracted 206 tonnes of fish, said project director of KLDMP, commander, Mainul Islam.
The KLDMP got the highest 4,242 tonnes of fish
in 1983-84.