Present status of fish diversity in the Beel Kumari in relation to fish sanctuary and fishing gears

Md Abdur Razzak  Joadder; Md Bayazid  Alam; Md Abu Bakar  Siddique; Jannatun  Naim

doi:10.17017/j.fish.119

Md Abdur Razzak Joadder Department of Fisheries, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh
Md Bayazid Alam Department of Fisheries, People’s republic of Bangladesh, Bangladesh
Md Abu Bakar Siddique Department of Fisheries, People’s republic of Bangladesh, Bangladesh
Jannatun Naim Department of Fisheries, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17017/j.fish.119

Keywords: Beel Kumari, fish sanctuary, fish diversity, fishing gears, protection and restoration, conservation

Abstract

The study was conducted on Beel Kumari beel (wetland) in Rajshahi, Bangladesh from October 2013 to September 2014. A total of 52 species of fish were recorded and the dominant species was Mystus tengara (Tanagra (9.75%). Exotic species like bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were also commonly found. Of the indigenous species, Ompok bimaculatus, Puntius sarana, Pseudeutropius atherinoides, Botia dario, Mystus aor and Chitala chitala were abundant, though these species were rare before the establishment of the fish sanctuary. Four groups of fishing gears i.e. net, trap, spear and harpoons and line fishing were found to use, among them 8 types of net, 7 types of trap, 4 types of spear and harpoon and 4 types of line fishing were recorded. Among these gill net contributed to the highest catch (32%) and push net was the lowest (6%). Most of the respondents (80%) were found to believe that their fish catch had increased considerably due to impact of fish sanctuary establishment and effective community based fisheries management approach employed in this beel.

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