UNB, Sunamganj :
Fifty-four species of fish, of the total 154, in the water-bodies of Sunamganj are now facing extinction due to adverse impacts of climate and different human activities, according to a study report published recently.
The sweet water sources in the district, including rivers, canals and other water-bodies, once used to abound with huge endogenous fish species.
Adverse impacts of climate change and different obstructions caused by humans have pushed the existence of the rivers and canals into jeopardy making a sharp fall in production of the local fish resources there.
If the declining trend of the local fish resources continues this way, the district will face serious deficiency of protein from fish in the near future, it is apprehended.
The Fisheries Research Support Project under the Community- based Resource Management Project of the Local Government Engineering Department, Sunamganj, conducted the study at Bangladesh World Fish Centre.
The study carried out in seven wetlands in Sunamganj district projected a terrible scenario of the fish species facing extinction. It reveals that the sweet water fish resources in the district are now in a perilous state.
Of the 54 species of fish on the brink of extinction, 28 are endangered, 12 greatly endangered while 14 species of fish are in risky conditions.
The endangered fish species include pabda, bothali, nanida, bamas and kajoli while the greatly endangered species are ghoramukh, sarputi, mohasoal, rita, ghaura, shilon, bancha, banshpata, ayer, gozar and kaikka.
The fish varieties including agun, chokha, betangi, kanoch and hanrkata are now rarely found.
The report mentioned cultivation of foreign hybrid fish, excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in the crop fields, pollution of waters by industrial wastes from the Indian state of Meghalaya, filling up the rivers, canals and other water-bodies obstructing movement of fish, unplanned construction of houses on the wetlands and construction of dams as the reasons behind the apprehended extinction of the local species of fish.
Besides, netting of spawning mother fish is also to be blamed. A section of unscrupulous people catch fish by drying up rivers and canals. Foreign hybrid fish species have now captured the local markets replacing the local ones.
Traders are using formalin in the fish which causes different types of complex diseases.
The local administration appears to be quite indifferent to dealing with the problems.
Fish trader MA Matin who came to buy fish at Gobindaganj fish market of Chhatak upazila and expatriate Nazir Ahmed of Radhanagar village said fish varieties mixed with formalin have flooded the market and it is difficult to properly identify those.
Experts suggest strict enforcement of the Fisheries Resources Protection Act, reasonable use of fertilisers in the farmland, avoiding excess use of the harmful pesticides and introduction of scientific fish production system using organic fertiliser.
