Freshwater Fishes Are Declining in the World; the Fishes Bangladesh Losing

According to a report on freshwater fish in the world, there has been a 'catastrophe' in fish numbers and about a third of the species of fishes are now endangered.

Environmental groups say 70 species have become extinct. Of these, 16 species have become extinct in the last one year.

Freshwater fish is the food of billions of people in the world and many more people make a living from this fish.

Now environmental pollution, indiscriminate hunting, construction of dams on rivers and destruction of wetlands have led to the collapse of fish species.

According to the report, the number of fish has decreased by one third in the last 50 years.

At the same time, the number of large species of fish known as 'mega fish' has decreased by 94 percent.

(Photo: Collected)

The report titled 'The World's Forgotten Fish' was developed by 16 environmental organizations, including the WWF, the London Zoological Society and the Global Wildlife Conservation.

According to the Bangladesh Agricultural Information Service (AIS), there are 64 extinct freshwater fish species in the country. The species of Tangra, Mahashol, Sarpunti, Tatkini, Bagar, Rita, Pangash and Chital are under extreme threat.

Over the past few decades, the country's population has been increasing, the size of reservoirs has shrunk, overuse of river or reservoir water, water pollution by pesticides used in agriculture, and overfishing have reduced the number of fish in natural reservoirs.

However, in the last one decade, the production of fish as an agricultural product has increased at a huge rate.

(Photo: Collected)

As a result, the Department of Agriculture is claiming that the number of native fish that has returned from the brink of 'almost extinction' is also increasing.

According to environmental groups, freshwater fish are declining in Europe at an alarming rate.

Fish such as sturgeon, barbet, etc. are completely lost from the freshwater of Britain. The European ebb is on the verge of extinction.

Environmentalist organization WWF has blamed the dilapidated condition of the river, pollution, dam construction and drainage for the decline in freshwater fish.

The total number of species freshwater fishes in Bangladesh is 260. Among them, 143 are small fishes.

The contribution of small fish is 30 percent of the amount of fish produced in that country.

(Photo: Collected)

The WWF is advising governments around the world to help increase the number of fish by enforcing the law and enforcing environmental protection laws.

Dave Tickner, an official with the organization, says many species of fish live in freshwater habitats around the world. But the report found that their numbers have been declining at an alarming rate.

"If we take seriously the government's commitment to protecting the environment, we must all work together now to stop pollution in the rivers and restore freshwater fish habitats," he said.

(Photo: Collected)

Carmen Revenga, an official with the conservation agency The Nature Conservancy, said the diverse freshwater fish are not only needed for rivers or ponds, but for millions of people, especially the poor, who depend on them for food and livelihoods.

"What is urgent now is for us to show political goodwill together, and to build effective measures to protect freshwater fish with the help of government, non-governmental organizations, and the general public."

Source: BBC Bangla