FISH PRODUCTION POTENTIALS OF HAKALUKI HAOR IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

A study was conducted in Hakaluki haor from July 2013 to June 2014 to assess the fish production potential in the haor. Three upazilla were selected as experimental sites for Catch Assessment Study (CAS), such as Kulaura upazila, Fenchuganj upazila and Baralekha upazila under Sylhet division. The fish catch sampling for Catch Assessment Study (CAS) and Fishing Effort Survey (FES) was done during 6.00 am to 6.0 pm by-weekly. A total of 82 fish species were recorded belonging to 9 orders and 50 genera of 22 families, of them 75 were indigenous and 7 exotics. Among 82 fish species, large fish species were 27; medium 18, small 32 and very small fish species were 5 in number. Among the small fishes Gudusia chapra was the most dominant species (43.93%) whereas Glossogobius giuris was the least dominant (1.37%) by weight. Among the major carps Labeo rohita was the most dominant species (28.75%) and the least dominant was the Labeo bata (16.69%). Declining rate of fish groups over last 40 years ranged from 72-86%, occurred drastically since 70's. The total fish production was 22453 MT during the study period in Hakaluki haor. Significant difference of fish catches over the fishing months by different crafts and gears were found. The interaction of months and fishing crafts were also significantly (P<0.05) different in Hakaluki haor. The mean Catch per Unit Effort (CPUE) of fishing crafts was 11.23±3.45 kg h -1 . The average CPUE for all fishing gears in Hakaluki haor varied widely ranging between 0.24±0.07 and 15.62±9.10 kg person −1 −1 day . The mean CPUE from Ber jal, Veshal jal, Current jal, Jhaki jal, Thela jal, Charo, Foria, Bana, Tenta/Teora and Hat borshi were 15.62±9.10, 1.04±0.33, 1.82±1.06, 2.51±1.04, 0.65±0.27, 0.25±0.07, 0.24±0.07, 0.76±0.38, 1.10±0.44 and 0.67±0.27 kg person −1 −1 day respectively. Order-wise average catch composition observed 17%, 42%, 15%, 13%, 5% and 8% for Clupeiformes , Cypriniformes , Perciformes, Channiformes, Chingri and other orders respectively. The average family-wise catch composition observed 10.74%, 30.67%, 6.9%, 3.42%, 6%, 8.73%, 9.33%, 4.64%, 5.95%, 8.35% and 5.27% for Channidae, Cyprinidae, Cobitidae, Siluridae, Bagridae, Notopteridae, Clupeidae, Mastacembelidae, Anabantidae, Ambassidae and other families respectively. In the present study cyprinidae family dominated over others, while contribution of different groups such as carps, barbs, catfish, glass perchlet and chingri were similar to each other. Total fish production at Hakaluki haor in 2013 was 422.13 kg ha -1 , which was more than national average production of 257.95kg ha -1 in open water in Bangladesh. Although the production rate was higher than the national production rate, however it was lower than its potentiality. Therefore, it is the duty of the stakeholders to develop a comprehensive deployment plan and at the same time the competent authority should more concern to its development for having balance production from haor year after year.