CHAR FASSON, BHOLA, Jan 18: Plenty of pangas fishes (silver catfish) are being caught in the Meghna-Tentulia rivers in Char Fasson Upazila of the district.
Local fishermen are netting these pangas fishes at a large scale. In the last two months, they have caught these fishes which are not usually available. These are of calm nature. This fish migrates from fresh water to fresh water. They can tolerate thin salinity. In the rainy season, their breeding takes place at estuaries.
Usually pangas fishes are caught in the rivers in the winter. Their appearance started from November in these two rivers. Each pangas is 8-10 kilogram (kg) weight.
At present, local fishing ghats have been busy with the arrival of huge pangas fishes.
A big pangas is selling at Tk 10,000-15,000.
A recent visit found big pangas fishes at the fish-landing stations.
Now farmed pangas fishes are selling at a cheaper price. A 10/12 kg farmed pangus is selling at Tk 150-250 per kg against previous Tk 800-1,000.
So far, in a coordinated move by former district fisheries officer Molla Emdadullah, Char Fasson Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Maruf Hossain Mina and upazila administration, a total of 31 campaigns were conducted under Hilsa Resources Development and Management Project. These drives facilitated local pangas breeding and ensuring fry protection.
In these drives, 456 Chani were seized and destroyed. Pangas fry of 1,100 kg were released in rivers. In the first phase, at local awareness meeting, pangas fry and Chani setting areas were identified. Later on, the identified areas were brought under the campaign. With these drives, the uses of Chani and Behundi net decreased mostly and fry got free moving areas to grow up. This year during the Hilsa breeding time, fishing was banned in 22 rivers till November 2. This fishing ban is imposed for two times in a year, facilitating free movement of pangas and Hilsa fry.
According to Bhola District Fisheries Officer, Chani and Behundi net have been removed in Patuakhali for the last several years; the trying is going on in Bhola to stop these; so small pangas fishes are getting chance to grow in rivers.
