Carp spawn sighted in Halda River, Chittagong
Photo Collected
BANGLADESH – Carp species in the Halda River, Bangladesh’s sole natural fish breeding center, have released preliminary samples of eggs, signaling the start of the breeding season. The preliminary releases were observed in three to four locations along the river on Thursday, coinciding with the ebb tide in the morning and the flood tide in the afternoon.
Fish collectors reported gathering between 100 and 200 grams of eggs in some instances, with others collecting one to 1.5 kilograms of eggs during the midday tide. Officials from the fisheries departments of Raujan and Hathazari sub-districts confirmed the release of sample eggs.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The annual breeding season for carp species in the Halda River typically spans from April to July. During this period, female fish are known to release eggs coinciding with heavy rainfall and flash floods from the hills. An estimated 500 to 700 egg collectors traditionally await this period. However, the quantity of collected eggs has significantly declined in recent years, leading to a reduction in the number of active collectors.
Halda researchers anticipate that the carp may release eggs in earnest during the spring tides of the upcoming full moon and new moon in June. The fisheries department also suggested that a full tide accompanied by flash floods or thunderstorms could prompt significant egg release.
বিজ্ঞাপন
To support the egg collectors, local government officials and employees are working along the river under the supervision of the district administration.
Muhamad Tofazzal Hossain, Senior Fisheries Officer of Raujan Upazila, informed First আলো (a local publication), that collectors reported obtaining sample eggs in small quantities from three to four spots along the Halda. He added that his team is present on the river to assist collectors and that significant egg releases are possible during both flood and ebb tides, contingent on natural conditions.
Preparations are underway at four government hatcheries and over a hundred earthen ponds across Hathazari and Raujan sub-districts for hatching the collected roe. Roshangir Alam, an egg collector from West Gujra in Raujan, stated he collected between one and 1.5 kilograms of eggs in several batches during the midday tide at Ajim’s Ghat. Like hundreds of others, his focus remains on the Halda River for potentially larger releases during the full tide.
Kamal Uddin Saudagar, an experienced egg collector from Gardoyara village in Hathazari, confirmed observing small sample releases and is awaiting the main egg-laying event.
Dr. Manjurul Kibria, a Halda researcher and Vice-Chancellor of BGCT University, explained that the preliminary release of a smaller quantity of eggs, termed “sample eggs,” often occurs before the main spawning event. This behavior is attributed to stress from thunderstorms or tidal pressures causing some egg release. The presence of these sample eggs indicates that a full-scale spawning is imminent.
The fisheries department noted that last year, egg collectors harvested 14,000 kilograms of fertilized eggs from the Halda. In 2020, a record 25,000 kilograms of eggs were collected.
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