Native fish populations at water bodies in the district have seen a sharp decline in recent years.
According to sources, the indigenous fish species, especially the small ones, are disappearing due to drying-up of major rivers and water bodies. As a result, most fishermen are either leading miserable life or switching over to other professions.
Fisheries office sources said fish had been cultivated at around 1.65 lakh hectares of land in four upazilas of the district.
In recent years, most of the water bodies of the district including rivers, ponds and canals have dried up which has left an adverse impact on the growth of fish species.
Besides, frequent and random use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in croplands has escalated the crisis.
At present many indigenous fish including catfish, mola, walking fish, sheat fish, carplet, goby, spring ceil, dwarf gourami, and snakehead murrel are rarely seen in the local markets.
A good number of fishermen here, who used to live on catching country fish in different water bodies including the Mathabhanga River before, are facing hardship and leading their families in substandard conditions since they are getting poor catches of fish.
Many of them have switched over to other professions like rickshaw- and van-pulling and auto-rickshaw driving.
Nirmol Halder of Dinnathpur village under Sadar upazila said: “I have left my ancestral profession as there is less catch of fish, and it is hardly possible to lead my family. Finding no other alternative, I am pulling rickshaw now.”
Locals mentioned that the small fishes enriched with high nutrition which is capable of protecting the human beings particularly the growing aged ones from various diseases.
They, however, said with wide-ranging promotion of exotic and hybrid fish species, the indigenous species, particularly the small ones, are gradually being endangered everywhere.
Both farming and marketing of the high yielding species have been enhanced significantly during the last couple of years. The local wholesale markets, hats and bazars are now flooded with the promoted varieties of fish which are less tasty and nutritious than the local ones.
District Fisheries Officer Bazlur Rashid said: “Massive silt has been deposited on the riverbeds and other water bodies that is responsible for reduction of fish breeding grounds in the district.”