By Md Aynal Haque

RAJSHAHI, Dec 11, 2024 (BSS)- Over 5.5 lakh tonnes of carp fish, particularly Rui, Katla, Mrigel and Silver carp, are being produced every year, generating employment for around 2.5 lakh people in the region.
 
Interest of the farmers has gradually been inclining as the sector has become profitable. Basically, a silent revolution has happened in the carp fish farming sector everywhere in the Rajshahi division, consisting of eight districts. 
 
Sadiqul Islam, 54, a commercial fish farmer in Paba upazila, started fish farming in a small pond in 2012. Now, he has ponds on over 180 bighas of land.
 
 "Fish farming is a profitable business, and the live fish trading is more profitable and lucrative," said Ershad Ali, 47, another fish farmer of Shilmaria village under Puthiya Upazila, adding many more people are entering into the fish farming as it's very profitable.
 
 "Many of the landowners are now being seen digging new ponds to lease out to fish farmers." Ershad told BSS that Tk 20,000 to Tk 30,000 is the present lease value for a pond on one bigha of land.
 
"Anyone can farm fish with around Tk 1.5 lakh to Tk 2 lakh easily if one cultivates fish using modern methods."
 
 Amzad Hossain, a fish farmer of Keshorehat village in Mohanpur upazila, alone produced 30.25 tonnes of fish worth around Tk44.25 lakh, making a net profit of Taka 15 lakh in 2019. Through ensuring quality, he collects eggs from government hatcheries and rivers and breeds fish from the eggs by himself.

 At the initial stage, he got training from the Upazila Fisheries Office in fish farming. He said several hundred new large ponds have been dug for commercial fish cultivation.

Abdul Wahed Mondal, Deputy Director of the Department of Fishes, said ponds, water bodies, rivers, and canals on 3.73 lakh hectares of land in the division are producing 551,700 tonnes of fish annually. Around 2.5 lakh people are engaged in the potential venture. 

In Rajshahi district, carp fishes are cultivated in over 25,000 ponds in all nine upazilas. Every year, 51,700 tonnes of fish are produced from the district's open water bodies.

Every year, 74,000 tonnes of fish valued at around Taka 2,000 crore are harvested from ponds and open water bodies in the Natore district. Target has been set to produce 74,000 tonnes of fish in Pabna district this year.

During the last three decades, the economic scenario has been changed in Bogra district through the production of fish and their eggs and fingerlings.

As a result of boosting fish production, prices in the markets are seen declining.

Kali Pada Roy, District Fisheries Office, Bogra, said after meeting the district's demands, the surplus fish are being supplied to the adjacent districts.

In Tarash Upazila, carp fish are being cultivated in around 4,500 ponds in private initiatives, making many of the farmers self-reliant.

Talking to BSS, Masgul Azad, Upazila Fisheries Officer, Tarash, said both soil texture and water condition of the upazila are suitable for fish farming and production. Each of the farmers attains a profit of Taka 30,000-50,000 from per bigha of the water body. 

Abul Kalam Azad, District Fisheries Officer, Pabna, said the farmers are being given ideas about the improved technology to make them more interested in fish farming.

Wahed Mondal attributed the success to the adoption of multidimensional development and extension programs, including the promotion of modern technologies.
 
Fish farming is making many people financially solvent, along with boosting their social dignity and contributing to meeting the demand for the animal protein of the region, besides different other parts of the country.
 
In order to boost fish production in the country's internal water bodies, a stock of around 104,000 lakh tons of fish fingerlings has been arranged in different water bodies at a cost of around Taka 15.62 crore, benefiting 684,000 lakh fish farmers.
 
Besides, a beel nursery on 1,370.06 hectares of water bodies has been installed at a cost of around Tk 2.8 crore, benefitting 58,984 fish growers, contributing a lot to boosting carp fish in internal water bodies.