Shrimp fry collectors damage 229 species of fishes

Fish collectors busy collecting shrimp fries with basket-shaped net called "Tentiya" or "Thelajal" in the river Karnaphuli. PHOTO: Zahedul I Khan

Massive collection of shrimp fries is going on in the river Karnaphuli and the coast along Anwara upazila and in the river Feni in and around Muhuri project at Mirer Sarai.

They collect fries with porous cloths irrespective of species and keep them into jars and pots.

During the process of sorting out, huge fries of other species are simply left over on the shores to be destroyed, witnesses said.

As many as 229 species of other fishes are destroyed during the sorting out of shrimp fries (Bagda saline water variety) or prawn (Galda - mild water variety), says a recent statistics of Marine Research Institute of Chittagong University.

Besides, illegal collection of fries is threatening availability of shrimps here, experts said.

Scarcity of shrimp fries is a must in the near future if all the fries are collected leaving none to grow up for spawning, they said.

Thousands of people from Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat and Jessore flock to Chittagong during the peak season (Baishak-Jaishtha) of shrimp spawning every year.

Under the patronisation of local influential syndicates, they collect the shrimp fries in the Karnaphuli, mainly at the portion stretching from Kalurghat bridge to Shah Amanat bridge, and in the coastal areas of Anwara adjoining Karnaphuli estuary. At Mirer Sarai, some 2000 people are engaged in the destructive job in the Feni river at Muhuri Project sluice gate, Bamunshunder, Shahebkhali, Ichhakhali and Domekhali areas.

The syndicates engage the fry collectors as temporary employees, on the basis of daily wages or collection-wise, sources said.

The collectors sell the fries at Tk 1000 to Tk 1500 per thousand to the middlemen. And the middlemen sell those to shrimp enclosure owners at Tk 2000.

Later, the shrimp fries are supplied to different enclosures in Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat and Jessor for cultivation.

The authorities of fisheries department expressed inability to check the practice due to lack of manpower and logistic support.

Meanwhile, experts and concerned circles emphasised improving the quality of fries produced at hatcheries side by side with strengthening the concerned authorities to end illegal fry collection.

They said the saline water of Cox's Bazar is suitable for hatching fries and the salinity mixed water of Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat and Jessore suitable for shrimp cultivation.

The shrimp enclosures of the southwestern region depend on the fries produced in Cox's Bazar and Chittagong.

On the other hand, the mild water in Mirer Sarai and Sitakunda is suitable for prawn cultivation.

The fries produced at different hatcheries of Cox's Bazar, mainly at Chakoria upazila, were sold at a lower price than that of fries produced naturally at mild (salinity mixed) water of the coastal areas of Chittagong.

The farmers rush for the mild water fries of Chittagong, as they are chemical-free and had a cent per cent guarantee of survivality, sources said.

Sometimes presence of a "white virus" and chemicals, which are very harmful to body, discourages the farmers to go to hatcheries for fries.