BANGLADESH - More than 20 species have been lost in the last decade and another 100 are on the endangered list.
Around 20 species of indigenous fish have
become extinct over the last 10 years for use of current nets,
insecticides and chemical fertilisers and depletion of habitats,
researchers say.
Daily Star
of Bangladesh reports that, if the trend continues, nearly 70 per cent
of the local fish varieties may suffer the same fate in the next few
years, they warn.
Around 100 out of 143 local fish species are in imminent danger of
extinction, reveals a study conducted by Dr Mostafa Ali Reza Hossain,
professor of fisheries biology and genetics at Bangladesh Agriculture
University.
"Some will cease to exist even in the next two years unless measures for
their conservation are taken immediately," observed Professor Mostafa
Ali.
According to the study, the species that have already gone extinct
include gutum, korika, bhol, debari, one kind of puti, ghora mukhya,
nandil, kursa, bhorkhol, ghorpoiya, one kind of tengra and kajuli,
torrent catfish, kani tengra, chhoto koi and tila shol.
The fish that face extinction within a couple of years include
balichata, betangi, rani, chela, darkina, pathorchata, joiya, ghora
machh, baitka and mohashol.
Syed Arif Azad, aquaculture officer of the fisheries department, said
excessive use of chemical fertilisers destroys breeding and rearing
grounds of the fish.
Fish habitats have been disappearing fast also for people moving in to build houses and other structures.
In fiscal year 2008-2009 alone, more than three million tonnes of
chemical fertilisers and 45,000 tonnes of insecticides were used in
farmlands across the country, according to Department of Agriculture
Extension data.
Rains wash away nearly 25 per cent of these fertilisers and insecticides
to nearby ditches, canals and wetlands. This instantly destroys the
natural habitats of fish species.
To make matters worse, excessive fishing and encroachment of water bodies continue unabated.
"The basic problem is that there are too few fishes being chased by too
many people," said William Collis, regional director of World Food
Centre, an affiliate to Consultative Group on International Agricultural
Research (CGIAR), a global body.
He said: "Fish are long-term resources. They need permanent protection,
and to ensure that, a country needs long term plans to protect its
wetlands."
However, things are not all bleak. The government has established a
number of sanctuaries across the country to restore fish habitats and
maintain fish diversity, said Arif Azad.
Professor Mostafa Ali said sanctuaries are the most effective and
efficient tool for protecting fish. But the problem lies in having
proper guidelines on how to build and manage the sanctuaries.
"Sperm banking for fish has to be set up to protect the fast depleting species," he told Daily Star.
He also stressed intensifying and expanding the Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) programme to save crops from pest attacks and combat
environmental degradation caused by pesticides.
The IPM is a system of protecting crops from insects without using insecticides.
On cross-breeding of fish species, Arif Azad said it threatens diversity
of fish, as it could strip the local fish species of their original
features.
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