Staff Reporter, Kishoreganj :
The fisheries sector plays a significant role in Bangladesh ‘s economic and social development in terms of earning foreign exchange, generating employment and ensuring nutritional and food security. Bangladesh ranked third in global fish production. The fisheries sector contributes 3.75 percent to the national GDP.
Haor is one of Fish resource areas of the country. Many fish are produced as a result of having abundant water bodies.
Lots of snails and oysters are also produced in haor areas. Which is an invaluable resource of nature. No storm, no rain, ignoring the illusion of life, the fishermen go out fishing in search of livelihood. Some with dinghy boats, some with engine-driven trawlers. No fear, no fear, they are just a thought fish hunt.
Due to heavy rains and hill slopes coming down from the upper reaches, the raw and semi-ripe boro paddy of the haor is often submerged. When the water is polluted by rotting paddy, ordinary farmers are affected. At that time other aquatic animals including fish of the haor died. Without effective measures to control the plague, it becomes difficult to protect the fisheries.
According to Department of Fisheries (DoF) sources, the number of fishermen in kishoreganj is. 83, 151 people. There are 397 fisheries cooperative societies. 351 fish nets. There are 33,528 public and private ponds. There are 147 canals with an area of 450.72 hectares. There are 26 rivers, 347 bills, 54 haors in Kishoreganj.
The number of bill nurseries is 22. There are 11 Abhayashrams. In the last financial year, the production was 1570.84 metric tons. Annual fish production. been 82,283.06 metric tons, which is 15, 955 metric tons more than the demand. Lack of availability of quality spawn, lack of good fish farming practices or management, low number of commercial farms, construction of unplanned dams, indiscriminate harvesting, non-compliance with fisheries conservation laws, inadequate training, lack of administrative capacity of fisheries officers to implement fisheries laws hampers production. It is said to be.
The non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have working in the haor areas and the people of the coast claim that the number of fish sanctuaries needs to be increased to increase fish production in the haor.
In addition to improving the living standards of the people on the shores of the haor, it will be possible to export haor fish by meeting the demand for fish from the people of the whole country. But before that, Haor Kheko has to be freed from the hands of the vicious circle.
The water-body has to be leased out to the real fishermen for the development of fisheries. A class of unscrupulous people using symbolic names in the Fisheries Cooperative Societies enjoys the benefits of waterbody by hiding behind water -body l lease. He became the owner of water -body by paying money.
This deprived the real fishermen of dividends. If fishing can be stopped every year for three months from Baishakh to Ashar, the breeding of fish will increase in many ways. There are fisheries laws but no enforcement, it needs to be strengthened.
Also fish producers should be discouraged from using chicken droppings, cow dung and compost.
When contact to District Fisheries Officer (DFO) Ripon Kumar Pal told the New Nation that Kishoreganj have surplus fish production. Kishoreganj have a role in meeting the fish needs of the country.
We are implementing the Fisheries Act to increase the production of natural fish. It is important to set up a sanctuary going through various trainings to raise awareness. We make sure that waterv- body is getting real fishermen.
