Fish stock under threat in haors of Sylhet

Indiscriminate catching of fish fry in the haors of Sylhet region, including the protected Tanguar Haor in Sunamganj, has been posing a serious threat to the area's ecosystem. Due to this illegal practice, many local breeds are becoming extinct, said fisheries experts and elderly fishers.

They said some fishermen and locals are involved in this illegal fishing, which starts in the first week of April and continues for several months.

Hashim Uddin, an elderly fisherman from Logaon village of Tahirpur upazila in Sunamganj, said, "Many, including locals, residing near Tanguar Haor catch fish fry illegally. They also use banned fishing nets."

Prof Dr Mrityunjoy Kunda of the department of aquatic resource management of Sylhet Agriculture University said, "Local fish species like taki (spotted snakehead), shol (striped snakehead), gazar (great snakehead), ayer (long-whiskered catfish) and many others hatch eggs during April-May. However, these varieties are reducing in haors as fry catching is rampant."

"Tanguar Haor is a protected waterbody under Ramsar Convention and fishing is prohibited at the sanctuaries there. Yet it continues unabated, affecting the haors severely," he said.

According to rule-7 of the "Protection and Conservation of Fish Rules 1985", catching or destroying fry of shol, gazar and taki in any kind of waterbody is strictly prohibited from April 1 to August 31.

Padmashan Singha, senior assistant commissioner of Sunamganj, also the responsible officer for Tanguar Haor management, said, "We used to conduct drives regularly, but we are unable to do so now due to the lockdown. But we will conduct drives soon."

Kasmir Reza, president of Paribesh and Haor Unnayan Sangstha, said, "This unabated catching of fries during the hatching season will create a fish crisis in haors."

"We demand a complete two-month ban on catching and selling fish fry. Also, those fishermen who catch fish from haors due to financial crisis, should be given incentives," he said.

Abdul Ahad, deputy commissioner of Sunamganj, said, "I have already ordered all upazila administrations to look into the matter. As we built embankments in the haors to protect paddy, water level there is low and that gives locals an opportunity to catch fish fry."

"We are planning to open a portion of the levee so that river water can enter the haor, which will raise the water level and eventually help reduce the illegal activities," he told The Daily Star recently.

Md Zillur Rahman, deputy director of Department of Fisheries in Sylhet, said, "We must be strict in this matter but due to a manpower crisis, we are unable to look after the vast waterbodies of the region properly. But we have asked our upazila administration to conduct drives at local bazaars to stop selling of fish fry."

Prof Mrityunjoy Kunda, however, mentioned, "Enforcing law is important but the situation cannot be controlled by the administration alone. Awareness among fishermen and locals is a must in this regard."