Sajadul Islam, Ulipur (Kurigram)
In Ulipur of Kurigram, fish catching in the Brahmaputra River with China nets or Darki nets, made in an innovative way is going on unabated. Although, some unscrupulous fishermen are catching mother fish with these illegal net, the local administration including the fisheries department is not monitoring it.
This year, there has been a crisis of domestic fish in the area, as the unscrupulous fish traders are fishing in the river with illegal nets. As a result, concerned people fear the extinction of the region's naturally produced fish resources.
Talking to people in the area about China nets or Darki nets, it is known that Chinese people usually make these nets to kill different species of insects on their farms. This net is 1 to 1.5 feet wide and 40 to 50 feet long. This special net is drum-shaped and made with quadrangular iron pieces in betweens circular iron frames. There are 40-50 niches in a China net.
In a special technique, the two ends of this net are tied to the poles and placed to get the trap to the bottom of canals, Beels, rivers and reservoirs. Because of the iron in the structure of the net, the net reaches the bottom of the water. Due to the small loop in the net, any kind of fish from small to large can easily enter the net if they move along that path and then get trapped.
Fish of different species, big and small, are trapped in this net. With Darki nets, some unscrupulous people are freely killing egg-laying mothers and fry. The use of illegal nets is hampering the normal reproduction and growth of fish. As a result, the abundance of fish in rivers is decreasing. If these nets are not closed soon, the locals fear that the country's fisheries will be ruined.
Visiting on spot, different areas of Hatia and Saheb Alga Unions of the upazila have been visited the fish killing scenarios were witnessed. According to a source, there are 25-30 nets near the jail of each fishing boat in those areas.
When asked Sumon and Manoranjan Das, both fishermen said, “We came to the fishing trade following our fathers and grandfathers. Fishing is our main occupation. With our family members we used to sell all the fish we got from the river in the market but, Fish are no longer available for the China nets”.
Not only Sumon Das and Manoranjan, more than 200 fishermen from Majhi Para village of Hatia union of the upazila are in dire straits for the fish crisis.
Swadesh Chandra, a fisherman from Majhipara village in Hatia Union, said he did not know whether the government had banned China or Darki nets. All kinds of fish are caught with this net. The nets are found in Dhaka. He said he has bought 6 such nets for Tk 26 thousand. Despite the loss of fish, he was forced to use those nets to run his family.
Shahidul Munshi, a resident of Sarkar Para village, said, “The worst enemies of fish are Darki nets. All kinds of fish including fish fries are caught in this net. The administration needs to be more vigilant to prevent this net. If the government does not stop fishing with these nets, then in the next few years, native fishes will not be seen in the river”.
Meanwhile, Ashar Uddin, a fish trader from Alga Union of Saheb Upazila, said, “I have been running my family by trading fish for 25 years. In this long-running business, I have not fallen into the fish crisis like this time”. Regarding the fish crisis this time, he said, there is a shortage of fish in the river due to low water and use of illegal nets.
In this regard, Upazila Fisheries Officer Tarifur Rahman Sarkar said that he has come to know about the illegal fishing with these nets from the local UP chairman. After the lockdown, he assured to take necessary action in consultation with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer in this regard.
