Fish production at Kaptai Lake has remarkably increased since the last 10 years after it creation in 1960, earning an amount of average revenue Tk 15 crore in a single year, fulfilling the hundred percent demand of the local consumers.
The lake is mostly famous for producing fish in a fresh water body, and its fishes also have huge demand for the consumers in other parts of the country like Chattogram as well as capital city Dhaka.
With a water body of 725 square kilometre, the biggest artificial lake in south-east Asia was created after damming of Kaptai Hydroelectric Power Project in Kaptai upazila of the district in 1960.
Soon after creation of the Kaptai Lake it was handed over to BFDC authority to cultivate fish commercially.
Though, overall fish production in the lake increased by manifold over the years but the production of big fishes (carp species) has sharply declined in the lake due to multifarious problems, said sources from Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC), Rangamati office.
As per the account of BFDC, majority 91 percent are small fishes, 7 percent carp species and the remaining 2 percent are other big varieties of fishes.
A total of 12,696 metric tons (MTs) of different species of fishes were collected from the lake and an amount of government revenue of Tk 15 crore and 36 lakh was earned last year whereas the figure was 8970.94 MTs and the revenue Tk 6 crore and 27 lakh in the fiscal year of 2010-2011, said BFDC authority.
Some 53 species of fishes are being collected commercially from the lake and 22 species are on the list of verge of extinction.
Commercially collected carp species (big fish) are Ruhi, Katla, Mrigal, Chitol, Kalibous, Boal, Telapia, Big Ayer, Bacha, Pabda, Magur, Silver carp, Grus carp and Big head carp etc.
Small species of fishes are Kalo Tengra, Sada Tengra, Koi, Ching, Kajoli, Chapila, Kechki, Foli, Taki, Kucho Chingri, Kata Mola, Chhoto Mola, Bayin, Mohashoal, Bata, Bashpata, Puti, Poya, Faishya, Kakila, Batasi, Mahilya, GuraMahilya, Carpio, Gojar, Bailya, Choto Ayer and Choto Mola etc.
Some 45.92 metric ton fish fries of carp species were released by the BFDC last year.
Md Touhidul Islam, manager of BFDC and Lt Commander of Bangladesh Navy was made general secretary in the committee where district fisheries officer, a senior scientific officer from Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) and a representative from fishermen were made members.
“A short, medium and long-term work plans had been taken after formation of the committee and implementation has also already started,” said Touhidul Islam.
Currently, there are 22 species of fishes on list of verge of extinction. These are Sarputi, Golda Shrimp, Ghaura, Baghaira, Mohashol, Modhupabda, Poya, Faishya, Sadaghonia, Magur, Cario and Kakila etc.
On the other hand, the amount of cannibal fishes are reducing day by day in the lake. Percentage of cannibal fishes were 8-10 around twenty years ago. But the figure is only 4.5 percent currently.
BFDC authority said, commercial fish production in the lake was started in 1965-1966 fiscal year and some 1206.63 metric tons of fish was collected at that time. The amount of revenue was only Tk 2 lakh.
At present, three-month long ban on fishing is going on in the lake from first week of May to first week of August for boosting fish production and propagation of fishes in the lake.
Around 12-15 metric tons of fish is collected normally from the lake and the figure becomes up to 90-100 MTs for two weeks soon after reopening the lake for fishing, said BFDC authority.
A total of 25,031 fishermen were brought under three-month long VGF (vulnerable group feeding) programme in this year and 20 kgs of rice was being provided every month to each of them.
Manager Touhidul Islam said that water pollution and continuous siltation in the lake is hampering smooth fish production. Dredging in some points (breeding grounds) in the lake is very important to boost fish production particularly carp fishes, added Touhidul.
