Reproduction and availability of local fish resources has been declining in the country because of the delayed monsoon and erratic rainfall, leading to drought-like situations in the last few years, according to a paper.
It said the country recorded 47,447 millimetres of rainfall in June, July, August and September in 2009 compared to 56,163 millimetres in the same period in 2008, 66,520 millimetres in 2007 and 60,551 millimetres in 2006.
“Breeding and grazing fields of fish saw a drastic reduction because of the abnormal situation coupled with siltation in the big rivers and tributaries, waterbodies, floodplains and other wetlands,” said Mostafa AR Hossain, professor of aquatic biodiversity at the fish department at Bangladesh Agricultural University, yesterday while presenting the paper at a workshop styled “World Day to Combat Desertification and Draft National Action Programme” at the capital’s LGED auditorium.
“Some of the most damaged fish population are tangra, bujuri, batashi, shingh, pabda, gulsha, aire, nondui, ritha, bashpata, kaunya, sarputi, jaita puthi, magur, cheng, taki, shol, gozar, baim, guchi and tara baim.
“Drought and the siltation together are reducing the wintering habitat for the fish species, resulting in less recruitment into the grazing fields to grow open water inland fisheries,” he said.
According to the fifth assessment report of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Bangladesh is identified as being at specific risk from climate change due to its exposure to sea-level rise and extreme events like salinity intrusion, drought, erratic rainfall and tidal surge which will hamper the country’s food as well as livelihood security.
“Overall fish production in inland open water declined due to the movement and migratory route within river, from river to marsh and floodplain, and within floodplain which caused a reduction in fish production in open water,” said Professor Mostafa.
He also said that due to the decrease in groundwater and surface water, tremendous pressure has been exerted on wetlands to convert them into agricultural lands. “This has resulted in a serious decline in the number of fish species and fish production as a whole.”