Vol. 7 No. 2
Present status of biodiversity in Punuria bee1 in northern Bangladesh and prospect for using bee1 as fish nursery
Author(s): B. K. CHAKRABORTY
Abstract: Present status of aquatic biodiversity and the prospect for raising fish fingerlings in Punuria beel in northern Bangladesh has been presented. A total number of 91 species (79 fish, 04 prawn, 01 crab, 02 snail, 01 bivalve and 04 reptiles\' species) were identified in the beel during 2006 and 2008. About ten types of fishing gears and crafts were found to be used by the fishers\' of the surveyed beel. Increasing use of current jal (gill net), Kapuri jal (sein net) and FAD (Fish aggregating device) were identified as detrimental gear killing almost all type of species. Over a period of 3 years, total production of fish and allied species in the Punuria beel was found to decrease from 96.65±9.22 to 62.60±4.26 ml respectively indicating 35.0% decline. Due to increasing fishing pressure, deterioration of ecosystem health and biological diversity, 6 aquatic fauna were extinct, 16 species were in high risk, 34 species were endangered, 25 species were more or less at risk of extinction, 6 species were in lower risk and 04 species are not threatened from biodiversity view point. In 2009, strict enforcement offish Act-1950 in Punuria beel resulted in reduced rate of use of current jal, Kapurijal (sein net) and FAD (Fish aggregating device). Initiation of new technology for production of carp fingerlings in the beel through community based co-management approach and enforcement of Fish Regulation Acl-1950, helped to augment productivity of the beel from 62.60±4.26 to 95.58±5.61 mt exhibiting 52.68% biomass enhancement. Two species of fish was found to have reappeared in the beel and surrounding floodplains.
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