Staff Correspondent:

Fish production has been increasing significantly in Chalan Beel, a famous fish reservoir of the country.

In the context of effective steps taken to protect fish resources and increasing the duration of floodplains due to heavy rainfall this season, production will increase by about 10 percent this year.

Chalan Beel reservoir supplies 14 percent of the country’s total fish production by producing 65,000 tonnes of fish annually. Out of this, 8,000 tonnes of fish are available from Chalan Beel in Singra upazila of Natore, which is considered the heart of the Chalan Beel.

On the other hand, the total fish production in the country was 43.80 lakh tonnes in the 2023-2024 financial year.

The area of Chalan Beel, the largest beel in the country spread over nine upazilas of Natore, Pabna and Sirajganj districts, has shrunk to just 360 square kilometers at present. A total of 40 rivers, 50 large canals, 300 small canals, 20,000 government ponds and 70,000 privately owned ponds flow through the Chalan Beel, including Baral and Atrai.

The flow of these reservoirs brings life to the Chalan Beel. However, the water crisis of Padma and Jamuna rivers has had a negative impact on Chalan Beel in a large way. In particular, the Charghat regulator of the Padma River has created a water crisis in the flow of the Baral River.

In addition to the water crisis, unplanned construction of various infrastructures and the uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in cultivated land, ponds and lakes create a negative impact on fish production in the Chalan Beel.

Along with this, waste from thousands of rice mills, industries, cattle, goats, poultry and chicken farms is polluting the Beel.

Due to the construction of irrigation schemes on cropland, groundwater is being extracted extensively. As a result, there has been a negative impact on the fish stocks.

At one time, Chalan Beel was home to 151 species of native fish. The fame of fish such as Koi, Shing, Bacha, Pabda, Airh, Guchi-Baim of this Beel is all over the country. The almost extinct Shilon fish can be found in this Chalan Beel.

Crabs, snails and oysters are also famous in the vast wetlands of Chalan Beel.

It is said that Chital, Foli, Bheda, Baumach, Baim, Gurpoi fish cannot be seen. Eleven species of fish from Chalan Beel are now on the verge of extinction.

However, it is hopeful that work has started to protect the fish resources and aquatic animals of Chalan Beel. Public opinion is being formed through public awareness.

The Chalan Beel Biodiversity Protection Committee is playing a vocal role in protecting the fish, crabs, snails and oysters of the Beel.

Saiful Islam, the general secretary of the organisation, said: “We have been conducting regular campaigns for a decade to protect illegal fishing and other aquatic animals in the Chalan Beel.”

The fish, crabs and snakes recovered in these campaigns. Turtles are being released, the accused are being punished by the administration. Illegal nets are also being removed from the reservoir in the campaign of the Fisheries Department and the administration, he said.

Fisherman Ziarul Islam of the Godown Para Daha area of Singra upazila said, this year there is more water in the Chalan Beel, and more fish. I am getting fish regularly. If the water decreases, more fish will be found.

Shamim Ahmed, an amateur fisherman from Chalanbil Point, said, this year a plenty of fish is being caught from the Chalan Beel.

Due to the activities of the administration and the Fisheries Department, fishing with illegal nets including gillnets has decreased this time. Therefore, it is expected that fish production will increase.

According to the sources of the Singra Upazila Fisheries Department, the Chalan Beel of the upazila is the livelihood of more than seven thousand fishermen in the upazila.

Of these fishermen, 6,603 have been issued smart identity cards. The Fisheries Department is training them to fishing safely by avoiding harmful methods.

The Upazila Administration and Fisheries Department are conducting regular drives to protect the fishery resources.

In the past one year, 250 drives have been conducted in the upazila, four boats have been seized, 6,500 pieces of illegal Chinese double nets have been seized and destroyed, 200,000 meters of fences have been removed, a fine of Taka 100,000 has been collected and four regular cases have been filed.

Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer of Singra Upazila Shahadat Hossain said that the prolonged monsoon season this year has had a positive impact on the production of indigenous fish species in the Chalan Beel.

“By the end of the season, we hope that the production will increase by 10 percent compared to last year,” he added.

Singra Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mazharul Islam told journaliststhat the administration is determined to protect the fishery resources of the Chalan Beel.

“We are working not only to protect the fishery resources but also to improve the financial condition of the fishermen.”