Indigenous fish species face extinction

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RAJSHAHI, Dec 25 (BSS): Indigenous fish species, particularly the small ones, are on the verge of extinction due to various reasons including frequent use of harmful pesticides and chemical fertilisers in agricultural land, water-bodies and wetland, throughout the northern region.
Apart from this, fisheries scientists and specialists said that breeding and grazing fields of the fish species had 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.
Various organisations, including the Zoology Department of Rajshahi University and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, conducted extensive researches that 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 65 native fish species have become rare and at least 10 species vanished in the region.
Prof Dr Altaf Hossain of Zoology Department of RU told the news agency that the sharp declining of spawning ground and natural seed production of fishes in most areas of the mighty Padma River had been facing an endangered condition due to withdrawal of its water from the upstream point.
Prof Hossain, who is a pioneer researcher in this field, highlighted various positive aspects of the open water-bodies in conserving the native fish species and said the open water-bodies were important not only for their fish production but also for generating employment.
In addition to nutritional aspects, the open water fisheries had been contributing a lot to maintain natural ecosystem and wetland habitats along with an aquatic biodiversity, Prof Altaf added.
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.
Apart from this, they said, over-fishing along with injudicious and destructive fishing practice resulting in the depletion of fishery resources.
They said that the open water fishery resources in the region were being neglected for long in terms of investment and general attention to the sector.