Author(s): B. K. CHAKRABORTY AND N. N. NUR

Abstract: The Medha beel has surrounded the Upazilla of Kolmakanda, Netrokona district an average are of 122.15 ha for the period of January 2003 to December 2007. A total number of 70 species of fishes, four species of prawn, one species of crabs, one species of snail and four species of reptiles were identified so far from the Medha beel. About 10 types of fishing methods were found in operation. Increasing the rate of fishing pressure within five years by seine net (moshari jal) from 15.4 to 20.5% and current jal (mono filament gill net) from 22.0% to 34.4% were identified as detrimental gear killing including different species during spawning and post spawning periods. An increasing rate in fishing pressure of the water bodies was a thread to aquatic biodiversity of the Medha beel. The aquatic production of the Medha beel was declined dramatically over the last five (2003-2007) years. The total production of the Medha beel was decreased from 105.31±5.28 to 54.64±3.43 mt within five years and the percentage of total production was sharply decreased from 12.98 to 48.12% over the same period. So, a number of commercial important fish species like as major carps, mohasher (Tor tor), nandina (Labeo nandina), olive barb, sharpunti (Puntius sarana), Gajar (Channa marulius) and reptiles (Kachuga tecta and Morenia petersi) were extinct, nine species were facing an extremely high risk of extinction, 39 species were facing a very high risk of extinction and 19 species were facing a more or less high risk of extinction between 2003 and 2007.

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