In Koyra Upazila, Khulna, Bagda or Black Tiger shrimp farms are facing a deadly virus outbreak caused by drought and water shortage in the enclosures. The owners have already suffered significant losses, causing worry among shrimp farmers.
The increase in salinity levels, attributed to climate change and extreme drought, has exacerbated the situation, according to the upazila fisheries officer.
Abdus Sattar Sana, a Bagda shrimp (P. monodon) farmer in Koyra Sadar Union’s No. 2 Koyra Village, shared his experience of witnessing shrimp deaths due to the virus in his enclosure, where he has been farming Bagda shrimp (P. monodon) since 2003. Similarly, Bhavsindu Mandal in North Vedkashi Union reported shrimp deaths in his enclosure during mid-April and May.
This issue of dying Bagda shrimps is prevalent in many enclosures throughout the upazila.
If the shrimp mortality rate continues, it will negatively impact the government’s foreign exchange earnings. Koyra Upazila is home to approximately 4,000 small and large fishing enclosures.
Last year, the target for Bagda shrimp production was six thousand tons, but the deaths have hindered achieving this goal.
Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Md Aminul Haque explained that the rising temperature, influenced by climate change, has contributed to the challenges. Moreover, the enclosures lack the necessary water levels for shrimp cultivation, leading to increased salinity. The Upazila Fisheries Department is providing regular guidance to fish farmers to address these issues.
In our earlier report we have seen the same picture in Satkhira district, drought and heat causing deadly effects on aquatic animals as well as the life of shrimp farmers. High temperature and low rainfall-like events have been happening consecutively several years now across the coastal region. We believe this year, the situation gets even worse influenced by the La Niña.
