Declining water flow and depth in the Padma River have reduced fish stocks, threatening native species and the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen in Rajshahi.
Once abundant with hilsa, goonch catfish, and other native species, the river now has shrinking fish habitats, expanding sandbars, and deteriorating breeding grounds. Fishermen who once caught large quantities of fish are struggling to sustain their families.
Experts blame the decline on the Farakka Barrage, climate change, reduced water flow, habitat destruction, and excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Agricultural runoff during the monsoon may further damage the river’s aquatic ecosystem.
A recent visit to Godagari’s Railway Bazar and fish wholesale market found few river-caught fish. Most available varieties, including rohu, catla, tilapia, koi and pabda, were farmed.
Fish catch declines sharply
Department of Fisheries data show that fish catches from the Padma River in Rajshahi fell from 2,283 tonnes in the fiscal year 2019-20 to 1,620 tonnes in the fiscal year 2024-25, a decline of 663 tonnes.
Hilsa production across Rajshahi Division also dropped from 741 tonnes in FY2020-21 to 473 tonnes in FY2024-25.
Rajshahi District Fisheries Officer Jahangir Alam said hilsa migrates from the sea to rivers to spawn, and insufficient water and weak currents can disrupt its movement and reproduction.
Hilsa is found in the Padma River in Godagari, Paba, Charghat and Bagha, with Charghat recording relatively higher catches. However, most are small, with five to six fish weighing about one kilogram.
Farakka blamed for declining hilsa migration
River researcher Mahbub Siddiqui said hilsa once migrated from the Bay of Bengal through Rajshahi to India’s Bhagalpur region for spawning. The Farakka Barrage reduced the Padma’s flow and current, contributing to the decline in migration, particularly from the 1980s.
Researchers say average water flow fell from 9,032 cubic metres per second during 1969-74 to 5,146 cubic metres per second during 1975-2019.
A survey conducted between 2007 and 2017 documented 77 native fish species in the Padma River. Three were classified as critically endangered, 10 as endangered, nine as highly threatened and another nine as near threatened.
Fishermen forced to seek other work
Hobi, a fisherman from Matikata union in Godagari upazila, said declining catches had made fishing an increasingly unviable livelihood. “Earlier, we would catch several maunds of fish. Now, the catch has fallen to just a few kilograms,” he said, adding that many fishermen had switched to agricultural labour.
Last year, Hobi and three fellow fishermen caught a 71kg goonch catfish near Harishankarpur Ghat. It sold for Tk68,870, or Tk970 per kilogram. Such large catches have now become increasingly rare.
Experts warn that restoring the river’s natural flow, protecting breeding grounds, controlling pollution and conserving fish habitats are essential to prevent further biodiversity loss and protect fishing-dependent communities.