Dwindling fish species

A study carried out by the world conservation union (IUCN) has also confirmed the above, supporting the view that drastic preservation and protection measures are required to safeguard the sweet water fishes of Bangladesh.

From time immemorial and with the first recorded food habit of the Bengali race the words 'Bangali' and 'fish' has become almost synonymous. Even today, despite a booming population and dwindling stock of fish, the majority of us still think so, and those who can afford go for at least one meal a day with fish definitely on the menu.

There was a time when the rivers, ponds, haors, canals, and water bodies were so very opulent in fish. But alas not so anymore. The rapid growth of human population and its impact has led to the dwindling of fish population. Bangladesh has the highest density of population over a square kilometer among the nations of the world and its effect on the surrounding habitat and natural resources has been mind boggling. Geographically Bangladesh is a deltic region with rivers and water outlets crisscrossing the land. Almost every year during monsoon and thereafter the plains remain submerged by water. A large part of the population lives near the rivers. Historically the major source of livelihood of this population has been fishing. The gradual boom in the size of population resulting in human encroachment in effect has squeezed the living space of fish population. Indiscriminate fishing to feed an ever growing population, pollution of rivers and water bodies by human and industrial wastes and apathy of the population towards fish stock are largely contributing to its decay.

In recent times efforts have been made to breed, cross breed and cultivate fish artificially acquiring ponds and water bodies and specifically designing them for such purpose. Efforts have also been made to culture variety of fish species importing from Thailand, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Nepal, China etc. Some of them were adapted successfully and a few of them could not survive. But the efforts have been largely impaired by the above mentioned factors.

We must stop human encroachment on living spaces of the fish, stop polluting the waters of rivers and water bodies, refrain from indiscriminate fishing of small fries and introduce scientific method for breeding and conservation of our native sweet water fish species.

If we do not change our habits and lifestyles and seriously think for the conservation of one of our major sources of delicacy and nutrition, then there is every possibility that our posterity will never see many of the fish species which in a way has been the symbol of Bengali heritage, culture and food-habit.

Syed Shamim Faruk is a conservation activist.