‘Terrible floods’ in southern rivers, killing millions of pangas hatchlings
Photo Collected
The proliferation of indigenous fish is threatened by the illegal use of illegal fishing in the rivers of the southern region including Barisal. In particular, the larvae of grasshoppers are constantly being killed through large-sized sieves. An organized gang has been using these forbidden traps for a long time. Although the fisheries department conducts occasional raids and seizes some shrimp, the main cycle is still out of control.
According to government regulations, it is prohibited to catch pangas below 30 cm from November 1 to July 30 every year. However, due to lack of enforcement of the law and lack of awareness among fishermen, this ban is not being implemented.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Talking to the fishermen, it is known that large shaped chai is made from bamboo kanchi. These teas are sold for 45 to 50 thousand taka. Basically, a gang in Baufal upazila of Patuakhali manufactures these teas. At the same time they also prepare fish meal used in cooking. Another conglomeration of baufal involves fishing with these nets in various rivers of the southern region.
Fishermen said that lakhs of larvae of grasshoppers are trapped in these traps and are being killed every day. These fry weigh 40 to 1 kg—that is, very juvenile fish. A fisherman catches an average of 120 kg of fry per day, which is then sold in the market as ‘Tangra’ fish. However, the true Tangra is a distinct species of catfish, usually no larger than 5 to 10 cm.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Patuakhali and Bholar Hadir Char, Char Guni, Meher Char, Patar Char, Char Borhan, Char Kalmi, Char Kajal, Bantali, Char Mantaj, Char Biswas, Chhota Baishdia and Chaulabunia; Meghna River adjacent to Nalbunia in Mehendiganj, Barisal; Barguna’s Payra, Bishkhali and Baleshwar – this illegal hunting is going on every day in the mouths of these rivers. Barisal’s Sugandha, Arial Khan, Kalabadar, Tentulia-Meghna and Padma-Meghna junctions are important breeding grounds for pangas ponas. In these rivers, at least 50 fishermen are regularly using nets to hunt Pona.
Local people complain that with the help of some unscrupulous fishermen of Barisal’s Mehendiganj, Hijla, Patuakhali, Bhola and Barguna, this organized gang of baufal is going deep into the river with big boats and catching fish. They change the area only when the fisheries department conducts raids.
Officials of the fishermen and fisheries department said that these nets are placed in relatively deep places and technology is also used in this. Fishermen use WhatsApp’s live location to identify fishing nets in rivers. As a result, even after many searches, the officials of the fisheries department cannot recover them easily.
On April 13 and 25, Meghna river near Nalbunia of Mehendiganj was raided and two huge shaped teapots were recovered. On the late night of May 1, the Naval Police recovered two more boats from the Payra-Bishkhali-Baleshwar estuary near Tentulbaria in Taltali Upazila of Barguna. At this time Tanzin Molla of Baufal upazila and Md. Two fishermen named Jobair were arrested. Inspector Sagar Bhadra of Taltali Naval Police filed a case against them at Taltali police station on Saturday afternoon.
Dulal Hossain, a fishmonger from Tentulbaria area of Taltali upazila, said that the chai are so big that two to three people can enter each one. Two and a half to three maunds of fish are caught in each. Even if the administration burns some chani, this cycle cannot be stopped.
Hijla Upazila Fisheries Officer Mohammad Alam said, “After the evening, these teas are thrown deep in the river. They are so deep in the leaves that we cannot detect them even after searching for two or three hours. Several such cycles are active throughout the southern region. Even though we conduct regular raids, it is difficult to seize them.
According to fishermen, apart from Baufal in Patuakhali, these teas are currently produced in Munshiganj, Bhola Charfashan and Manpura. Before these teas are thrown to a depth of 40 to 50 feet in the river, they are given a mixture of dry, kheil, kunda, sugar, chira and fish oil. Within six hours the troughs were full of fish fry.
Pangasha fish caught in these nets are being sold in the market as Tangra fish. In the southern markets including Barisal, three- to seven-inch pangash chicks are being sold at Tk. 500 to Tk. 700 per kg.
Fishery experts said that the back of Tangra fish is black and the belly is silvery-white. Their gills are gray-brown in color.
Chowmatha market retail fish seller of the city. Hasan said, they know them as Pangas-Tangra. So he buys and sells from Aarat. The demand for this fish in the market is also high. They do not know the information that Tangra and Pangas are different species.
In 2017, researchers of the Eco Fish Bangladesh project identified the breeding and migration areas of pangasius around the Tentulia river. The study led by Mir Mohammad Ali, Assistant Professor of Aquaculture Department of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, identified these areas as important for the conservation of pangasius.
The study identified 12 sites, which are breeding grounds for catfish. Fishermen in these areas caught a large number of small pangas using circle nets.
Mir Muhammad Ali said, if these breeding grounds are protected, it is possible to bring this almost endangered species back to the river. But due to lack of awareness and proper implementation of the law, pona killing continues. He said that the field research has shown that 20 fishermen are catching huge fry every day using nets, weighing 40 kg. An average of 120 kg of fish is caught by a fisherman every day. As a result, at least two crore ponas are being killed in six months. These chicks are sold in the market as ‘Nadir Tangra’.
Mir Mohammad Ali said, now many more dishonest fishermen are involved in killing Pangas fish with tea. If they cannot be prevented, there is a danger that the breeding and production of grasshoppers in the country’s rivers will go down. For this, it is necessary to conduct a strict campaign against this dangerous fishing and unscrupulous fishing gang by the fisheries department and administration.
Senior Assistant Director of Barisal Divisional Fisheries Department. Anisuzzaman said, ‘This is a serious threat to the propagation of pangas. Even though we conduct regular raids, it is difficult to detect, because at night the deep river is covered with leaves. If this terrible practice is stopped, the abundance of pangas in the rivers of the southern region will increase manifold. We will undertake a large-scale operation.
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