Illegal catching of fry goes on in Sylhet region
OUR CORRESPONDENT | Wednesday, 31 July 2024
SYLHET, July 30: Local species of sweet water fish are declining in Sylhet region due to lack of proper monitoring on the illegal catching of fry.
Sources said some organised groups of fishermen and influential quarters are allegedly engaged in indiscriminate catching of mother fish as well as fry in water bodies.
They are doing it in the country's mother fishery and largest Hakaluki haor as well as on the rivers, including the Surma and the Kushiyara, they allege.
Sales of fish fries of local varieties have been going on openly at rural markets in the haor bank areas for the last few months.
However, it's barred under the existing law, but there is none to see the law breakers, locals like Abdul Quaker of Barlekha upazila alleged.
A number of sellers, however, said they collect these fish fries from various haor and river bank markets and other places to sell them on rural markets at small profit for livelihood.
Amid a prolonged water stagnation triggered by floods, local variety fishes have released eggs.
The haor people as well as the fishermen community expect a better fish production this year, but the illegal catching of fish fry is making it troublesome.
Use of current nets and others are the tools for the lawbreakers. The netting of immature fishes of certain big fishes is restricted during the breeding period, environmentalists have alleged.
Even, the organised groups do the trade during the early hours to avert law enforcers.
When contacted, Deputy Director Md Anwar Hossain of Sylhet divisional fisheries office has said they often launch drives against the illegal catching of immature fish and fry during the breeding period.
So far, 715 drives have been conducted in Sylhet division apart from the operations of 200 mobile courts this season.
"Drives will be carried out further," he said, adding: "It cannot be done frequently mainly due to a staff shortage."
As many as 17 cases have been filed for illegal fishing during the same period.
The fisheries sector has suffered a loss of Tk 6.10 billion due to the recent floods, the official added.