Many indigenous species of fish are on the verge of extinction in the natural water bodies of Netrokona district due to various reasons including widespread use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in the cropland and adverse impact of climate change.
According to local sources, the local water-bodies like rivers, lake, canals and the swamps have been affected by the toxins of the pesticides and chemical fertilizers harming the ideal environment for the aquatic life in the district.
Elderly people and fishermen in the district said the native fishes were in abundance in all the rivers including Sumeswari, Kangso, Dhano and Mogra and in Mohonganj, Halizuri and Modan haors, canals, beels and other natural water-bodies.
All the water-bodies were full of different varieties of fishes like Mohashoal, Ruhi, Katla, Chitol, Khoi, Shorputi, Gozar, Ayir, Bowal, Taki, Golsey, Talapia, Baim, Bedory, Kholsey, Kaikkia and Tengra.
The district was known as granary and fish resourceful are of the country, but now facing an acute shortage of indigenous fishes.
These fishes were even used to be supplied to many places of the country including capital city Dhaka after fulfilling the needs of the district.
Even huge quantities of these fishes remained surplus in the down-stream areas and were stored in all the houses there after drying.
But, in course of time, the scenario changed and the district lost its past glory as a "fish-rich" area as all the traditional fishes including the Mohashoal fish have now disappeared from the natural open water bodies.
Many old-aged fishermen and local people said they could catch the native fishes by casting simple nets from the river Sumeswari, Kangso , Dhano, Mogra and all the natural water bodies including haors, canals and beels.
But, now a days, not a single Ayir, Gozar, Kholsey, Talapia, Vedory, Chitol, and other native fishes would be found easily in the rivers, canals and other natural water bodies by putting a branch of tree or casting a simple net", they lamented.
Sources of district fishery department said the production of the native fishes in the natural open water bodies had come down due to many reasons including unprecedented fall of water- levels in the rivers and others water bodies.
Besides, catching of fish-fries and pollution of waters in the water-bodies due to excessive use of fertilizers in the crop fields, they said.
Many fishermen are now earning their living by pulling rickshaw or doing other toiling work.
Fisherman Jasim said: “Catch of fish is not satisfactory nowadays. It has become hard for me to lead my family with the money I earn from sale of the fish caught in the river. Despite the situation, I go to river for fishing as I do not have any other sources of income.”
Another fisherman Srikantha said: “Catch of fish is not satisfactory nowadays. It has become hard for me to lead my family with the money I earn from sale of the fish caught in the river. Despite the situation, I go to river for fishing as I do not have any other sources of income.”
District fishery officer Nurul Islam said that the government had taken a package of programme entitled "Pisciculture and fish management programme" in the haor areas for increasing production of the native fishes.
