Increased fish intake for the Bangalees, as confirmed by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)-prepared study, the State of Fisheries and Acuaculture-2016, is quite a positive development. The average fish consumption has risen from 14 kg four years ago to 19 kg this year. What is highly significant is that the increased intake has been possible against a steep drop in fish production in rivers and natural water bodies. Pisciculture, particularly in ponds and managed waters, has been mainly responsible for revival of the Bangalees' favoured dishes on daily menu.
Farmers have grown interests in such artificial fish breeding because of greater income than from crops. Well, there is a combined system of cultivation of both crops and fish on a plot of land too. Apart from carp and shrimp breeding, though, pisciculture mostly involves culture of exotic fish varieties such as Thai puti, koi, pangas, tilapia etc;.
They are sweet-water fish and cheap too but not favoured by many because of not so great taste. They are called the poor man's fish. But no doubt they have served a very important purpose. For a large segment of people these varieties, together with broiler chicken, are the main source of protein. In fact, 60 per cent of the population's requirement for protein comes from fish and the cultured fish's share is certainly greater.
Of late, a new trend is noticeable in the capital's fish market. Some of the highly valued fish like pabda and tengra are now available not only fresh but alive. Their supply is abundant and even the prices too are not forbidding if compared with many other indigenous varieties. However, there is no mystery behind this surprise gift. Fisheries scientists were successful in developing prolific varieties of carps, koi and pangas. Now they have experimented successfully to come up with indigenous species like pabda and tengra.
This should make people optimistic that many of the indigenous varieties of fish now on the verge of extinction might not disappear, courtesy of relentless study and experiment with those fish. Maybe, one day the varieties that have become extinct from the country's waters could be brought back. In that case, a bank will have to be there to preserve their genetic pool. There is reason to believe that such facilities have been built by this time.
Against this positive development, however, the sad news is that the natural water bodies are not only getting shrunk but also they are left more and more polluted. Its consequence is proving devastating for aquatic lives. The country's rivers, haors and baors (large water bodies) can, moreover, produce more fish if only they are managed better. Jalmahals (water bodies) should be leased out to fishermen not to touts and intermediaries who, because of their lack of knowledge, kill the golden goose to get all the eggs at a time.
Quite a few of the government measures such as slapping of a ban on catching fish, including Hilsha, during the spawning season has yielded good results. This has contributed to raising production of fish. If such measures can be implemented more stringently, there is every chance of ensuring much higher production of fish in the country.
