Native fish facing extinction

Dozens of indigenous fish species that were once abundant in Bangladesh’s rivers, haors, beels, ponds and other open-water bodies are now disappearing at an alarming rate.

Many varieties that were commonly found even a decade or two ago have become increasingly rare, threatening the country’s aquatic biodiversity as well as the traditional livelihoods and diets of fishing communities.

Reports from several districts indicate that the decline is particularly severe in Sirajganj, Bhola, Khulna, Chandpur and Kishoreganj.

In Sirajganj, nearly 40 species of native fish are reportedly on the verge of extinction. They include tangra, khailsha, pabda, sorputi, baikka, mola, batashi, lal puti, kalibouch, taki, gochi, tarkina, shoil, gojar, shing, magur, gulsha, airh, guzi, baush, chiri and koi.

These fish were once plentiful in Chalan Beel, which extends across parts of Pabna, Sirajganj and Natore. Local people recall that many of these species were readily available in low-lying areas and natural water bodies two decades ago.

Fishermen and local residents attribute much of the decline to the expansion of IRRI and Boro cultivation, the reduction of natural wetlands and the extensive use of insecticides and other agricultural chemicals. Runoff from croplands can enter nearby water bodies, affecting fish habitats and breeding grounds.

The situation is also serious in Bhola, where around 20 to 30 indigenous species are reportedly declining. These include shing, taki, darki, magur, bain (eel), falgochi, veda, koi, khailsha and bhangra.
In Khulna, fisheries officials identified several factors behind the decline of indigenous fish.

These include indiscriminate catching of gravid and juvenile fish, the use of illegal current nets, excessive use of pesticides and the gradual disappearance of wetlands.

Khulna District Assistant Fisheries Officer Uzzal Kumar Roy said the survival of endangered native fish could be improved by strengthening their breeding and propagation systems.

In Chandpur, around 30 to 35 indigenous species, including hilsa, chingri, pangas, bele, airh, rita, pabda, poa, cheoya and tengra, are reportedly facing serious threats.

Local residents along the Meghna and Dakatia rivers said some fishermen catch fingerlings and juvenile fish throughout the year, often under cover of darkness. Such indiscriminate fishing prevents fish populations from reaching maturity and reproducing.

Chandpur District Fisheries Officer Mohammad Fahrul Islam said catching pangas below 30 centimetres in length is prohibited.

The most alarming picture has emerged from Kishoreganj, where an estimated 70 to 80 species of fish in the haor areas of Itna, Mithamoin, Nikli, Astagram, Karimganj and Bajitpur are reportedly on the verge of extinction.

Pabda, shing, batail, magur, tengra and gulsha are among the threatened species. Many of these fish are highly valued by consumers because of their taste and relatively high market prices.

Experts say the disappearance of indigenous fish is not merely an environmental concern. It could also undermine food security, rural incomes and the ecological balance of Bangladesh’s wetlands.

Dr Abu Naim Muhammad Abdus Sabur, Joint Secretary of the Planning Wing of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, told The New Nation that the government has taken several initiatives to conserve indigenous fish species.

According to him, the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) is conducting research on preserving 36 species of native fish. The government also plans to bring haor and baor areas in districts including Sunamganj, Kishoreganj, Netrokona and Moulvibazar under closer monitoring.

A one-month fishing ban is also planned to help indigenous fish species breed and replenish their populations. The government has further proposed a special stimulus package for fishermen during the fishing embargo.

However, conservationists say government measures will only be effective if they are properly enforced. Preventing the use of illegal fishing nets, protecting breeding grounds, controlling agricultural pollution and ensuring strict enforcement of fishing bans are essential to reversing the decline.

Bangladesh is blessed with an extraordinary diversity of freshwater fish, much of which is closely connected with the country’s food culture and rural economy. Unless immediate and coordinated action is taken, many of the native species once considered a familiar part of everyday life may survive only in memory.