The Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) again achieved success in artificial breeding of country’s two more endangered fish called large razorbelly minnow and glass-barb. Scientists have developed the technique for artificial breeding and fry production of the two endangered varieties of fish in the fresh water sub-station of BFRI in Saidpur upazila of Nilphamari district last month. These two fish - large razorbelly minnow (narkeli chela) and glass-barb (teet puthi) are very popular among the Bangalis for their delicious taste and high nutritional value. Our scientists’ achievements will have a huge impact on the conservation of endangered indigenous fish as well as contribute to higher production of native fish in the country.
Native fishes are now found in abundance in all the rivers, haors, canals, beels and other water bodies across the country. The government’s measures have been able to save the endangered indigenous fresh water fishes from extinction.
Local people should be discouraged to catch fishes aggressively
and indiscriminately from rivers and water bodies
Over the past decade, our many native delicious fishes continued disappearing from the country’s rivers, haors, canals, beels and other water bodies due to the use of chemical fertilisers, unplanned use of land, shortage of ponds, siltation of rivers, canals and other water bodies, indiscriminate and unabated catching of fish fries and adverse impact of climate change. Besides, the indigenous fish varieties disappeared fast since the water bodies, including rivers, haors, canals and wetlands were being grabbed.
Agro chemicals destroyed the breeding grounds of the fishes endangering their existence. As the native fish species, particularly the small ones, cannot take food for lack of zooplanktons, they cannot properly grow and breed.
Our country is enriched with 265 species of freshwater fishes which have a huge demand at local and international markets. Out of them about 140 of them are the small indigenous ones. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 64 out of 260 species of freshwater fish in our country are endangered. But it has been possible to restore the existence of about 31 species.
People will have to be discouraged to catch fishes aggressively and indiscriminately from rivers and water bodies. During the dry season, local people catch all varieties of fish from water bodies withdrawing water from them and they indiscriminately catch all mother fishes. Such trend must be stopped immediately to help the government create favourable condition for native fishes. Besides, the conservation of rivers and wetlands like khal, beel, haor and baor to protect the species is a must. Unchecked use of agro chemicals will also have to be stopped.