Called China Duari Jaal (China gateway net), the multi-chambered fishing trap has its origin in China. But its import and clandestine use in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India is wreaking havoc with aquatic lives in both places across the border. The ultra-fine synthetic mesh trap is a sucker for fish including fries and fingerlings, crabs, insects, turtles and even snakes. There is no surprise that traditional fishermen and environmentalists have been raising their voices against this deadly trap. Although it is banned in both Bangladesh and West Bengal, use of the net could not be curbed. The cat and mouse game that has continued with another mesh called 'current net' goes on with this net as well.
Reports pour in from different parts of Bangladesh how the open-water native fish species are led to near extinction courtesy of this net. The latest such news comes from Sherpur where people complain that once abundant during this time, the indigenous fish varieties are no longer available. Responsible for this is the trapping and killing of fish en masse by China Duari net. They demand legal action against those who imprudently cause mass extinction of local fish in wetlands.
Common people know about the harmful impact of the use of current net and China Duari net and at times they inform the authorities of its use so that the latter can take action against users of these fishing gears. Mobile courts also operate from time to time and launch joint drives with coast guards to destroy these illegal fishing traps. But the illegal operators reappear to carry on their destructive operations.
It is exactly at this point, the question arises about the success of the drives concerned. When there is a need for stopping the source, the authorities only target the operations at the field level. This has happened in case of polythene shopping bags and plastic sacks. Under the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act 2010, rice, paddy wheat, maize and 15 other essential goods have to be packaged in jute sacks. Similarly, Bangladesh was the first country in the world to ban polythene through an amendment to the Bangladesh Environment Conversation Act, 1995. The law is still in force.
Unfortunately, neither of the two legal provisions is complied with because of weak enforcement and absence of cheap alternatives. But the real culprit is the anti-environmental mentality of the mass people. People are not enough aware of the danger of random use of the non-biodegradable substances. Today, microplastic is found not only in fish in local water bodies but also in deep seas. It has entered the food chain. Yet, there is no vigorous proactive move either from the authorities concerned or from the government. If people felt the urgency of rejecting use of polythene and plastic bags and put up concerted social resistance against the mindless anti-social and anti-environment elements catching fish with banned nets, this act of hara-kiri could effectively be brought to an end.
Then, if the import of raw materials was banned and factories of polythene closed down, manufacture of polythene and shopping bags would be impossible. Instead of plugging the source, casual drives against polythene use were never destined to succeed. The same is true for current net and China Duari. Restrict import of the nets from China once and for all to stop its marketing and retailing and then watch if the nets still reach people at the grassroots level. Well, smuggling of the nets could still bring the nets in to the country. In that case, smuggling of those nets has to be dealt with an iron hand.
When use of implements proves decisively destructive to the ecosystem, the governance has to be mercilessly decisive too. There is no scope for leniency when elements engage in activities against the people's interests and the country's ecosystem. This small country with an oversize population is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world and it cannot invite additional disasters by injudicious human acts.
