B. K. CHAKRABORTY
Department of Fisheries
Dhaka, Bangladesh
S. A. AZAD
Department of Fisheries
Dhaka, Bangladesh
A. SIDDIQA
Department of Fisheries
Dhaka, Bangladesh
K. M. MOINUL
Department of Fisheries
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Aquatic lives, Beel, biodiversity, Carp nursery, Endangered, Illegal fishing
Mymensingh district.
Conservation and Biodiversity
Aquatic animal
Location and area of the beel: The Haria Beel comprised an average area of 540.5ha with an average depth 2.47±0.04 m. The beel is surrounded by Haria and Bhraduba villages under Bhaluka Upazilla in the district of Mymensingh provide latitude-longitude. Experimental procedure: Detail survey on flora and fauna of the Haria beel was conducted during 2007-2010 with particular emphasis on soil and water quality, biological productivity and biotic communities and status of fishery exploitation. The research was operationalzed through collection of both primary and secondary data, comprehensive literature review and extracts of local knowledge and information. Collection of primary data was made by field observation and different experimentations which comprised of experimental fishing in the beel, survey of different fishing methods, survey of fish markets adjacent to beel, monitoring of hydrological, meteorological, physico-chemical and biological characteristics of beel and fishers’ perception as well. Secondary data were collected from Department of Fisheries (DoF) and from the local fishers. Formation of committee and awareness meeting: Local management committee was formed with the community people living in the surrounding area of Haria Beel consisting of 80 members from stakeholders through participatory discussion. The members of the management committee formulated required rules and regulations for sharing benefits from beel resources. Regular meeting was arranged fortnightly by the implementing team during the period of 2010 where all stakeholders’ representative along with Upazilla Fisheries Officer, Department of Fisheries (DoF) were present and discussed the improvement of the management activities of the beel during investigating period. Morphometry and hydrodynamics of experimental beel: The main sources of water input into the Haria beel ecosystem was viz., overspill from the river channel, surface flow and regeneration. Water flows were determined by both rainfall and flooded water from the Khiru River. In the dry season, almost 72% areas of the beel dried up except the canals, and khata and kua fishing area where water remains during January to mid-April. Except deeper portion of the beel, most of the marginal area where brought under rice cultivation by extracting water from the beel. The water lost by various means caused shrinkage of the effective water area and lowering of depth in the beel which affected the status of the aquatic biodiversity of the Haria beel. Study of physico-chemical parameters: Physico-chemical parameters were determined following the standard method of APHA. A bamboo made meter scale was used to measure water depth. Water temperature was measured using a Celsius thermometer and transparency was recorded by using a Secchi disc of 20 cm diameter. Dissolved oxygen and pH were calculated directly using a digital electronic oxygen meter (YSI Model 58) and an electronic pH meter(Jenway Model 3020). Alkalinity was recorded by titrimetric method. Fishing method: Detail survey on fishing method of the Haria beel was conducted with particular emphasis on number of different gears and traps. Fishers’ used boat for transport of nets and related materials and used seine net, bua jal (small lift net), cast net, gill net, dharma jal, various type of fish traps, fishing by dewatering FAD (Fish aggregating device), hook and line, komor jal (scien net used in kata fishing), lift net and thela jal (push net); and according to season and availability of different species of fish. During monsoon and post monsoon, fisher’s used lift net, current jal, cast net, traps (dugair, ghuni, pholo, vair etc) hook and lines (aikra, barsi, fulkuichi, jhupi, etc.) to catch fishes. They also operated kata fishing by sein net (komor jal) in winter season. Data collection: An organized sampling program was run for a long time to get a true picture of the catch and catch composition of Haria beel. The experimental beel were sampled during winter (mid November to mid February), pre monsoon (mid February to April), monsoon (May to August) and post monsoon (September to mid November) for assessment of aquatic lives’ abundance and availability. The study gives a broad picture of a stock of fishes, prawn, crabs, snail and turtles that was recorded through different market survey and fish landing centers, collection of different species directly from fishers’ catch, fishing through enclosure with bana fence (made by bamboo), khata fishing and interaction with fishers’ in the beel. Resident fish species was recorded through fishing in the deep pool areas (manmade kuas) where water remains during dry season (December to mid April). The number of six codes (CR. E, EN, VU, LR and NO) of IUCN (2000) was followed to categorize the status of the beel and Shannon index to compare the trend among different years. Analysis of experimental data: The data were analyzed through one way ANOVA followed by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test using MSTAT to find out whether any significant difference existed among treatment means. Standard deviation in each parameter was calculated and expressed as mean ±S.D.
Journal of Crop and Weed, 9(1):38-51(2013)
Journal