Devdas Majumdar, Special Representative, Coastal Zone

In the rainy season, the flow of water in the coastal canal, bills and fields are rising due to heavy rains and tidal floods. Various varieties of native species of fish are being flown in the tide of water. In the monsoon season, fishing net and trap made of bamboos are used for fishing in the coastal area of the country. However, the use of a special type of jute and bamboo pots is increasing day by day in the fishing season.

Fish hunters have been using two types of traps for a long time this season. Nylon needle weaved knitwear and bamboo wicker are the main elements to make this trap. But these traps are not available nowadays. Because bamboo is scarce and the cost of making a `buchna’ net is more expensive. As a result of this, a new small-sized net trap called `Boda Net’ in the region is being used for catching native fish species. Increasing in demand, the commercial spread of Boda net has also been increasing gradually.

In the field of submerged agricultural land, Boda nets have seen a trap of row in several villages in the Sapleja Union of Mathbaria. Small shape boda nets have been seen everywhere across the field. It is very easy to catch local fish by boda net where is usually water-flow; especially in paddy field and khal. In the trap, various local variety fishes including shrimp fish and different small species of fishes are being eliminated. In the fishing season in the coastal area, the use of Boda net has been gradually increasing.

Though the department of fisheries prohibits fishing by bamboo and buchna net trap. but there is no initiatives to stop the use of new fish trap boda net. So, the new boda net trap of fishing is soaring in all over the ground in the coastal areas. The fishes of the native species of fish are being eroded through this boda net trap in the field of agricultural land. The boda net trap is set up by rows in the waterlogged field.  This net is reclaimed in the field.

The price is cheap and the use is very easy. So the demand for the new trap of fishing on the coastal area is increasing. Before the rainy season began the demand for boda net are increased. Boda net market is set up on every Monday and Friday at Kawkhali Upazila Sadar, Pirojpur. A lot of hosteller net traders are buying buchna net and boda net from this market and sell at retail in the various coastal market.

Apart from this, a weekly wholesale market also being set up on every Wednesday in Mathbaria Upazila Sadar. This market is known for wholesale of buchna and boda net. In the market around several lakh takas nets are being sold every week. Solaiman Mia, a fishing net seller said, “Boda net is locally produced. The use of bamboo made trap is being decreased due to the increasing use of these nets.” Increasing the price of bamboo trap has resulted in the availability of alternative boda net. In the monsoon season, sweet water fishing is very easy and cost-effective by nylon thread made boda net trap. Besides, Boda net trap is easily portable and set up in rows on the ground.

Fish hunter of village Charkagachhia on the banks of Balshwar river of Mathbaria. Abdul Huq said, “In the four Bengali months of Joistha, Ashar, Shravaon and Vhadra local fishing is being done in sweet water with boda net. This net has recently been introduced locally. The prices are cheap and easy to use.” Each Boda net was sold at a price of Tk 25. The low-income village people can earn 400/500 taka per day for fishing with this net.

Mathbaria Upazila Fisheries Officer Azharul Islam said, “Fishing is completely prohibited with boda net, buchna nets and bamboos traps. Many native species of fish are destroyed in this. Which is harmful to the country’s sweet water native fish species. Fisheries Department conducted various programs to make everyone aware of the use of such a fish trap.”

Translated by Bahauddin Bahar