BSS, Barguna :
In this ongoing Bangla month of Sravan fish is not available in water bodies and this is believed to be due to impact of climate change and indiscriminate of fertilizers and pesticides.
Experts in Fisheries Department said breeding spots of fish have drastically reduced due to scanty rainfall and scorching heat.
Such climate is affecting the productivity of water bodies and this unusual situation is extremely harmful to fish species.
The sharp fall in sweet water fish production is also attributed to the indiscriminate catching of mother fish.
Sources said once there were varieties of fish available in the local rivers, canals, jheels, ponds and other water bodies.
At least 40 species of sweet water fish, particularly small ones, have completely disappeared from the region.
Fisherman Raju Mridha of Boithakata village near Amtali town and Rahaman Boyati of Kazirabad village said fishermen are passing very hard days without having catches.
They said frequent and indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in agricultural land and climate change are the main reasons behind the falling growth of fish.
There is an urgent need of giving emphasis on protecting the native fish species, especially the small ones, they opined.
District Fisheries Officer Bongkim Biswas said, different proposals and suggestions, including excavation, dredging of local rivers and canals have been placed to the higher authorities during the last three years to save indigenous species of sweet water fishes to increase fish production.
