BSS, Netrakona :
Many native species of fish are on the verge of extinction in the natural water bodies of the district due to various reasons including adverse impact of climate change.
Once the district was known as granary and fish resourceful are of the country, but now facing an acute shortage of indigenous fishes.
According to local elderly people and fishermen, the native fishes were in abundance in all the rivers including Sumeswari, Kangso, Dhano and Mogra and in the hoars, canals, beels and other natural water-bodies of the district.
All the water-bodies were full of different varieties of fishes like Mohashoal, Ruhi, Katla, Chitol, Khoi, Shorputi, Gozar, Ayir, Bowal, Taki, Golsey, Talapia, Baim, Bedory, Kholsey, Kaikkia and Tengra in the past.
These fishes were even used to be supplied to many places of the country including capital city Dhaka after fulfilling the needs of the district.
Even huge quantities of these fishes remained surplus in the down-stream areas and were stored in all the houses there after drying.
But, in course of time, the scenario changed and the district lost its past glory as a “fish-rich” area as all the traditional fishes including the Mohashoal fish have now disappeared from the natural open water bodies.
Talking to the BSS, many old-aged fishermen and local people said they could catch the native fishes by casting simple nets from the river Sumeswari, Kangso , Dhano, Mogra and all the natural water bodies including haors, canals and beels.
But, now a days, not a single Ayir, Gozar, Kholsey, Talapia, Vedory, Chitol, and other native fishes would be found easily in the rivers, canals and other natural water bodies by putting a branch of tree or casting a simple net”, they lamented.
Sources of district fishery department said the production of the native fishes in the natural open water bodies had come down due to many reasons including unprecedented fall of water-levels in the rivers and others water bodies.
Besides, catching of fish-fries and pollution of waters in the water-bodies due to excessive use of fertilizers in the crop fields, they said.
District fishery officer Nurul Islam told BSS the present government had already taken a package of programme entitled “Pisciculture and fish management programme” in the haor areas for increasing production of the native fishes in the natural water bodies of the down-stream area of the country.
Replying to a question, the officer said under the program, a number of seven fish sanctuaries have already been established in the down-stream areas of the district for conservation of these native fishes side by side with increasing production of these fishes.
