Effects of fishing gear of fish biodiversity of Hakaluki HAOX of Bangladesh
Abstract
The present study was undertaken during June to November 2013 in three selected fish markets
(Kazi bazaar, Bandar bazaar and Modina market) in Sylhet Sadar. A total of 54 traders were
selected (18 from each of the market) for personal interview and focus group discussions were
conducted. The market chain from farmers to consumers in the study areas passed through a
number of intermediaries such as, local fish traders, paikers, wholesalers and retailers. Fish
traders live in the vicinity of the local markets nearer to the farming communities. They carry
fish from remote villages to the wholesalers in market centers and typically earns significant
amount of money. Survey of three fish markets showed that the price per kilogram of carps
increases with size for both Indian major carps and exotic carps. Among the cultured species,
Rohu, Catla, and Mrigal observed higher prices (Tk.168-230/kg) the exotic carps (Tk. 140190/kg).
The
price
of
fish
depended
on
market
structure,
species,
quality,
size
and
weight.
There
are
generally
seasonal
variations
in
prices
with
the
highest
in
summer
(March
to
May)
and
the
lowest
in
winter
(November
to
January).
Three
types
of
marketing
channel
were
identified
such
as
i)Channel
I:
Fish
farmers-
Paikers-
Wholesalers-
Retailers-
Consumers.
ii)Channel
II:
Fish
farmers-
Wholesalers- Retailers – Consumers. iii)Channel III: Fish farmers- Retailers-
Consumers.It was observed that under market channels fish farmers gross price per quintal of
fish were Tk. 11500. The corresponding price spreads were Tk. 2200, 1400 and 1000 per quintal
of fish, while the fish farmer’s gross share were 80.87 %, 87.83% and 91.30 % respectively.
Therefore, in term of farmers share, the performances of channel III was relatively
much better
than that of other channels. The retailers who purchase fish from the wholesalers and sold to the
consumers earned a gross margin of tk 900 per quintal. After deducting marketing cost of Tk
80.75 per quintal, net margin stood at Tk 819.25. The result shows that net marketing margin of
retailers under the present study was very high.A number of constraints during fish marketing
were reported by traders including higher transport cost, poor road communication and transport
facilities, poor supply of ice, and exploitation by middlemen.Transportation , market toll, and
containers were major cost items which were estimated during fish marketing. In spite of socioeconomic
constraints,
most
of
the
household’s
of
the
traders
(80%)
have
improved
their
status
through
fish
marketing
activities.