The illicit fishing with poison has put the waterways and biodiversity of the Sundarbans in jeopardy. Poor marginal fishermen use this tactic, supposedly forced by dishonest merchants, to capture more fish faster.
A world-renowned ecosystem, the Sundarbans are considered to be one of the most complex and delicate on the planet. In total, it covers 44% of Bangladesh’s forest land and 4.2% of its total land area. The mangroves provide habitat for 210 fish species, 24 shrimp species, 14 crab species, 43 mollusk species, and more than 260 bird species.
Besides performing ecological functions, the Sundarbans provide support for livelihoods as well. Approximately 3.5 million people live in the vicinity of the Sundarbans, and they are directly or indirectly dependent upon this forest. The mangrove forest provides the bulk of the livelihoods and subsistence for the rural residents who live within 20 km of the forest boundary, also known as the influence zone. The majority of the dependent population is illiterate and poor.
Furthermore, the production of domestic fisheries in Bangladesh is 1.7% derived from this mangrove forests. Fish products from this mangrove forest brought in US$ 158,368 in 2014–2015, with an estimated 10.37 metric tons (MT) of fish collected daily from the Sundarbans.
This incredible ecosystem, however, is under threat due to several factors, including Poison fishing.
The poison used in the Sundarbans may persist for months or even years, reducing aquatic species’ reproduction capacities, affecting their health, and reducing their numbers. Pesticide-laden water can affect fish in the deep sea when it flows into the sea.
An further repercussion of illicit fishing operations is the disturbance of the food chain in the impacted regions, which poses a risk to the forest’s aquatic biodiversity. It is not just fish that are being killed by such illegal activities, but all kinds of marine life are also being negatively affected. In this way, fish worth crores were poisoned each year, and breeding was severely hindered. Having consumed poison, these fish are also being sold in the markets, posing serious health concerns for the general public.
Experts claim that several causes are responsible for these wrecking actions.
Residents of the Sundarbans were limited in their income sources because of periodic fishing bans imposed by the government. They use poison fishing systems and illegal fishing nets when they are allowed to enter the forest for a brief time.
Abdul Alim, a Khulna district resident who lives on the Sundarban’s southern periphery, explains the poison fishing process.
“It’s a syrup that they use as a poison. Within minutes of spilling some water in the water body, fishes, crabs, and other aquatic species will crawl to the shore in order to save their lives,” he said.
“In this way, fishermen are able to catch a good amount of fish in the shortest amount of time, he explained.
“Those who use poison for fishing usually use engine-driven boats so they can escape without being caught,” he added.
Photo: Mohshin Ul Hakim
Generally, poisoned fish are dried in remote areas inside the forest before being sold as dried fish on the local market because local people will not buy them.
Fishermen and merchants’ greed is another reason for poison fishing. Fishermen are triggered by the idea of “catching more fish in less time.”
In fact, poisoned fishing yields a quick harvest with a lot less labor involved. As a result, fishermen are immediately attracted to such activities.
Another reason is the lack of monitoring and law enforcement. In addition, some have pointed to unscrupulous forest department officials accepting bribes from fishermen in forest sanctuaries. Therefore, they allow fishermen to do whatever they want.
“An influential syndicate has influenced a group of fishermen in the Sundarbans to poison fish. In addition to affecting fish, this practice also harms aquatic animals as a result of water pollution,” said Prof Anwarul Qadir, Sundarbans Academy executive director.
And finally, the lack of knowledge also contributes to this situation. The majority of fishermen don’t realize the long-term effects of this type of fishing. Their happiness is based on getting adequate yields.
However, poison fishing has already started having an impact on Sundarbans areas. According to Golam Rasul Howladar, a fisherman from Sundarbans, this situation is dire.
The increase in poison use by fishermen has caused fish populations to decline and has even affected bird populations since birds feed on the surviving fish.
“Previously, fishing in the Sundarbans provided a significant livelihood for the families, but fishing opportunities are limited today. The family can no longer survive solely by fishing in the forest. It is hard for us to make ends meet now,” he added.
It is imperative that the Government takes action to address the dire situation. According to experts, scientific methods should be used to decide whether to limit access to the forest. Families of fishermen should get social security during the fishing prohibition to help with their financial difficulties. Experts also recommend providing alternative livelihood options to forest-dependent communities.
Jaber Bin Abdul Bari
Department of Oceanography, NSTU
