Mindless fishing goes on as campaign falls on deaf ears

2 August 2009, 17:00 PM

A Correspondent, Madaripur

Fish traps made of bamboo fences is a common scene in water bodies of Madaripur district as a section of people continue indiscriminate fishing. The photo was taken from Arial Kha River in Shibchar upazila.Photo: STAR

Catching of fishes including egg carrying ones and fry has continued unabated in different rivers, beels and other water bodies in the district, as callous fishermen are turning deaf ears to the prime minister's warning against harming fish resources even during the Fisheries Week. Different kinds of enclosures would be seen in dozens of water bodies in Shibchar, Kalkini, Rajoir and Sadar upazilas of Madaripur district in the current rainy season. As canals, beels and haors get filled with water from the Padma, Arial Kha and Kumar rivers during mid-June to August, the carrying fish come to these water bodies to lay eggs. A section of unscrupulous fishermen are catching egg carrying fish, jatka and fry indiscriminately for last one and a half months. Effective measures to protect fish resources and its planned cultivation could earn huge foreign exchange in addition to meeting protein requirement of our vast population. But mindless act by a section of people is taking a heavy toll on fishes, making the traditional favourite food dearer day by day. During this correspondent's recent visit to different areas, locals said fishes of different species are being caught indiscriminately in char areas of different unions around the River Padma, Moynakata Khal in Shibchar municipal area, Arial Kha River in Kalkini upazila, Beel Padma between Madaripur and Shibchar upazilas and Kumar River in Rajoir upazila. Besides, more than 1000 submerged enclosures have been set in the water bodies to catch fish. Although the fish 'plunderers' themselves catch fish without any restraint, they bar people living near the rivers from catching fish for their family consumption, locals said. Lessee of Beel Padma flowing through Madaripur and Shibchar upazilas, Joynal Sipahi admitted indiscriminate catching of fishes. He, however, accused the journalists of turning blind eyes to the fishermen who set hundreds of enclosures to catch fish in other water bodies including Padma and Arial Kha rivers. Admitting setting of enclosures or fish traps by dishonest fishermen in different rivers, Shibchar upazila Fisheries Officer Monirul Mamun said they are taking steps to remove those. The action is getting delayed as there is no budget for the purpose. “The fisheries department can only conduct awareness campaign. As the fisheries officers do not have any magistracy power, they cannot prevent illegal erection of enclosures in the rivers,” Madaripur district Fisheries Officer Dr AKM Aminul said.