54 indigenous fish varieties about to be extinct

Locals are catching fish in a haor during the dry season. Prothom Alo file photo
Locals are catching fish in a haor during the dry season. Prothom Alo file photo

Many local varieties of fish that were available in rivers, open water bodies and ponds in Raiganj even a decade ago, are hardly found nowadays, say fishermen and fisheries officials.

As many as 70 fish species were seen a decade ago but the number has now come down to only 16, meaning 54 species have already been extinct, according to them.

Officials of the department attributed the extinction to drying up of many water bodies including rivers, during the dry season.

Also, they pointed out, mother fishes and fish fries are caught rampantly.

"The principle of not fishing for two or three years at a stretch in a particular area to allow the fish to breed and multiply their number is not followed," one of the officials said.

A taki fish is being sold at a market of Goalanda upazila of Rajbari. Prothom Alo file photo
A taki fish is being sold at a market of Goalanda upazila of Rajbari. Prothom Alo file photo

Abdul Kuddus, Abdul Mannan and Akbar Ali of Dhangara, who live by fishing, said many of the local varieties of fish they used to catch are no longer available in the rivers and water bodies.
Fishermen of Bramagachha, Pangashi and Nolka also said they do not find some local varieties of fish in Fuljore and Ichamati rivers, canals and water bodies.
The varieties that are seriously at stake include tatkini, gharua, bagair, rita, pangash, chital, mahashal and sarputi.
Bacha, chhap chela, dhela, bashpata, napto koi, foli, guji and ayr fishes are also endangered, according to fishermen and officials.
Some fish varieties such as golsa, darkina, pabda, gojar, titputi, nama chanda, kalibaus, tila shoal, khalisha, meni, rayek and magur, have also been rare in the area.
Raiganj has quite a number of lakes namely Koira Beel, Jugidaha, Hasildah and Buri Beel, and many canals, ponds and water bodies, where local varieties of fish are caught. But fish is no more abundant in these wate bodies.

Fresh fishes. Prothom Alo file photo
Fresh fishes. Prothom Alo file photo

"Mother fishes have to be protected for smooth breeding . Sanctuaries for free movements of fish have to be created at each open water body, canal, beel and river," senior fisheries officer of Raiganj upazila Mozammel Haque told Prothom Alo.
When contacted, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Iqbal Akhtar said necessary steps would be taken to protect local varieties of fish.
*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.