Md. Emdadul Haque, Dupchanchia :
Indigenous fish species, particularly the small ones, are on the verge of extinction due to sharp declining of breeding and grazing fields of the fish species in the vast Barind track in Dupchanchia Breeding and grazing fields of the fish species have drastically been reduced due to siltation in the big rivers and their tributaries, water-bodies, floodplains and other wetlands side by side with promotion of modern fish culture in closed water-bodies.
Besides, frequent and indiscriminate use of harmful pesticides and chemical fertilizers in agricultural land, water-bodies and wetland has aggravated the situation. Various organizations conducted extensive researches and found 12 major causes for the ever-decreasing fishery resources in the region, particularly in the major rivers. Quoting the research findings, some investigators opined that around 15 native fish species have become rare and at least 10 species vanished in the area. Fisheries officer Md. Maksudur Rahman said that the sharp declining of spawning ground and natural seed production of fishes in most areas of the mighty Nagar River has been facing an endangered condition due to withdrawal of its water from the upstream point. Prof Answar Ali of Bogra government collage in the department of Zoology highlighted various positive aspects of the open water-bodies in conserving the native fish species and said the open water-bodies are important not only for their fish production but also for generating employment.
In addition to nutritional aspects, the open water fisheries have been contributing a lot to maintain natural ecosystem and wetland habitats along with an aquatic biodiversity, he added. With excessive and indiscriminate promotion of modern technologies in both agriculture and fish culture, the grazing and breeding grounds of the native fishes are gradually declining. He viewed that frequent and indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in agricultural land have directly or indirectly been destroying the open and culture water fishery resources and fish food organisms of the wetland and floodplains. Due to extensive intervention, the habitat degradation is also affecting productivity of the water-bodies and the prevailing disturbances are significant detrimental to the native fish species and their population.
