Rare marine fish caught in Cox's Bazar
Muazzem Hossain Shakil, Cox's Bazar
A very rare species of fish, captured from 60 to 80 feet deep sea water around 50-70 km southwest of the St Martin's Islands on April 2, is now kept at the museum of under-construction Panowa Bay Park at Cox'a Bazar. Raguib Uddin Ahmed, a biologist of the park, identified the rare fish at Cox's Bazar fish harbour and took immediate steps for its preservation. Generally called ocean sunfish or slender sunfish, the fish's scientific name is Ranzania laevis that belongs to family Molidae. The coral reef dependent species of fish, two and a half feet in length and weighing about 6 kg, has got an amusing tube-like mouth opening to suck algae. The sluggish creature moves with the help of cartilaginous tail, appearing as though somebody has cut it into halves. Several elderly fishermen of the area said seeing the fish is a new experience for them. Raguib said he observed the same species of fish nearly 130 feet below sea surface in coral-reef habitat of Tulamben Bali, Indonesia in October 2002. A NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors, USA) licence holder deep sea SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) diver, Raguib dives at the Bay of Bengal and other seas and oceans for about ten years. Over-fishing, destruction of coral-reef around the St Martin's Islands and further down, use of environment unfriendly fishing gears have now become threats to the existence of fishes, especially the rare ones. The research cell of the proposed marine museum and park aims at providing better information about such creatures and help conservation of valued natural treasures of the Bay of Bengal.
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An ocean sunfish, a rare species, was caught in fishermen's net, 50-70km off the coast of St Martin's Island and brought to the fish landing station of Cox's Bazar. PHOTO: STAR |
