AMTALI, BARGUNA, Sept 16: In the peak season, Hilsa has almost disappeared from coastal areas including Amtali Upazila of Barguna. The little that is available comes at skyrocketing prices, well beyond the purchasing power of ordinary people.
Although every year hundreds of thousands of metric tons of Hilsa are caught from the Payra, Bishkhali, and Baleshwar rivers, this year the catch has dropped to less than half. Fishermen burdened with loans and advances are now in dire straits, with many struggling to manage even one meal a day.
A recent visit to several fishing points in Amtali and Taltali revealed that the once-rich fishing grounds of the Payra and Bishkhali rivers have turned almost Hilsa-free. Experts and fishermen blame submerged shoals at the river mouths, hot water discharge from the Payra thermal power plant, and plastic waste for driving Hilsa away.
Due to climate change and environmental impacts, mother Hilsa cannot reach the coastal rivers during breeding season. This disruption of breeding has caused a severe fish crisis in the coastal belt.
Journalist AKM Khairul Bashar Bulbul said that the Hilsa crisis in the Bay of Bengal is a serious concern for fishermen, traders, and the coastal economy. Illegal nets, indiscriminate catching of mother Hilsa, and environmental degradation are behind this alarming situation. He stressed urgent government intervention to restore a sustainable habitat for Hilsa in the coastal rivers and seas.
According to the Department of Fisheries, submerged shoals have developed in several areas: 6.8 km in the Payra River, 15 km in the Bishkhali estuary, 11.42 km in the Baleshwar, and 12 km in the Andharmanik River.
Local fisherman Md. Hossain explained, "Hilsa usually live in saline water but come to freshwater rivers during breeding to lay eggs. When blocked by shoals, they turn back to the deep sea. Unless dredging is done, Hilsa will not return to these rivers."
Another fisherman, Md. Jasim, said, "Every day hot water and plastic waste are dumped into the Payra River from the thermal power plant. Due to the hot water, Hilsa no longer gather in the estuary. Now, when we cast nets, we catch more polythene than fish. Many fishermen are leaving their trade for other professions."
Environmentalists warn that unless the Payra, Bishkhali, and Baleshwar rivers are declared and prepared as Hilsa sanctuaries, Hilsa may soon disappear from southern Bangladesh.
According to Barguna's District Fisheries Office, around 80,000 fishermen usually depend on Hilsa fishing in the Payra, Bishkhali, Baleshwar, and Andharmanik rivers. With catches halved, many fishermen have abandoned the rivers. Both natural and man-made causes now threaten the country's prime source of Hilsa.
Amtali Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Tanmoy Kumar Das said, "The river depths at estuaries have been reduced drastically, hindering Hilsa movement. Dredging is essential."
Barguna District Fisheries Officer Md. Mohsin Ali confirmed, "We have already submitted proposals for dredging these rivers."
