For decades, many of Bangladesh’s indigenous freshwater fish have been disappearing from rivers, canals and other open water bodies.

Some became scarce in local markets, while others were pushed towards extinction.

Against this backdrop, the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) has spent years trying to conserve endangered indigenous species, develop breeding and farming technologies, and take those fish back to farmers and, eventually, consumers.

The institute began research on endangered indigenous fish in 1986 under the leadership of Dr AHM Kohinoor, former director (admin and finance) of BFRI. Its work started with pabda or butterfish.

Over the next 40 years, the institute developed 41 varieties, 20 of them in the last 10 years. Three more species are now in the pipeline for release soon, according to Dr Harunor Rashid, chief scientific officer of BFRI.

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Variety of native fish.

Its latest development was “kursha”, a small indigenous fish found in the Teesta River in the country’s north, said Md Shahin Alam, scientific officer of BFRI.

The work has become increasingly important as the natural habitats of indigenous fish have shrunk over the years.

BFRI sources said Bangladesh once had some 261 native freshwater varieties, of which 64 have become extinct over the years.

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The International Union for Conservation of Nature documented about 56 freshwater fish species as critically endangered in 1998, said Dr Rashid.

Researchers attributed the decline to the drying up of open water bodies, environmental changes, destruction of natural breeding and nursery grounds, and the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers and insecticides for decades.

BFRI, established in 1984 under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, started its activities in 1986. It is the country’s only national institution dedicated to research for the development of fisheries resources.

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The institute now conducts research through five centres and five sub-centres in different parts of the country.

Its work includes developing pond-based fish farming, improving freshwater fish varieties, fish nutrition and feed management, disease control, pearl production from freshwater mussels, conservation of the gene pool of endangered fish species, and farming techniques for unconventional fisheries resources, said Shahin Alam.

But the institute’s work has not remained confined to laboratories.

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Almost all the conserved varieties are now being cultivated by farmers on a large scale, creating a growing base for indigenous fish production.

Farmers have also gained the opportunity to breed the fish in their own ponds and produce good yields at comparatively low cost, said Dr Kohinoor, a retired director (admin) who worked on the conservation of small indigenous species.

The indigenous fish now being cultivated at the farmer level include pabda, boirali, bata, chitol, mohashol, foli, dhela, gajar, shingi, magur, ayir, gania, puti, beda, shorputi, titputi, piali, batasi, shalbaim, kakila and kursha.

That transfer of technology from researchers to farmers has transformed the fortunes of fish growers, like Shafiqul Islam Talukder in Mymensingh.

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Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute in Mymensingh. Photo: BFRI

Shafiqul, now 54, started fish farming 32 years ago. His interest later turned towards endangered small indigenous fish as those species became increasingly difficult to find in markets.

“I started farming small indigenous fish out of my passion for such endangered species, especially when these fish were nearly out of the market. Now I cultivate small fish in 20 ponds and produce fries of different species, including mola, dela, tara baim, bhagna, deshi puti, etc. The fries are mainly supplied to Natore, Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Cumilla and Sylhet,” he said.

“The passion has now turned into a huge business, and I enjoy a good profit from my produce,” said Shafiqul, proprietor of Satata Matsy Hatchery and Fishery in Mymensingh’s Tarakanda upazila.

Initially, BFRI scientists in Mymensingh provided him with technical support and regularly monitored his farm.

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“Now I feel proud of my success,” he said.

Jahangir Alam, proprietor of Rupali Hatchery and Fisheries in Phulpur upazila, has been cultivating small indigenous fish since 2003, also with technical support from BFRI scientists.

“As I grew up in the village and had a deep fascination for these fish since I was a boy, I took up the challenge, getting all-out technical support from the BFRI scientists, and I was successful,” said Jahangir.

He has now taken up another challenge: producing tara baim fry on a large scale this season with the aim of expanding its cultivation across the country.

“Within three years, the tara baim cultivation will create a huge wave among the farmers, as the prices, as well as the demand, are good. The fish is now being sold between Tk 1,000-Tk 1,200 per kg based on size,” Alam said.

Abdul Kadir Tarafder, proprietor of Swarnalata Agro Fisheries in Phulbaria upazila, said the cultivation cost of small indigenous fish is comparatively low while the profit is reasonable because of high demand in local markets.

He said the fish can also be cultivated alongside carp.

The expansion of such farming is now contributing to the country’s overall fish production.

The country currently produces 50 lakh tonnes of small fish every year, while BFRI-developed small fish contribute 2.8 lakh tonnes, said Dr Rashid.

The amount is increasing every year as cultivation of conserved indigenous fish expands, said Dr Rashid.

The total demand for fish in the country is 42 lakh tonnes, and production is now in surplus, he said.

Production of small indigenous fish has increased 73 percent over the last 15 years, he added.

The shift is particularly significant as the contribution from natural freshwater sources has declined.

Even three decades ago, 80 percent of the demand for freshwater fish was met through rivers, but that has dropped to about 30 percent over the years, according to BFRI scientists.

The institute has also taken steps to preserve genetic resources so that endangered species can be reproduced even if they disappear from nature.

In 2020, BFRI established a “live gene bank” to conserve small indigenous species. So far, 102 of 143 small indigenous fish species have been included in the bank.

If any species is lost from nature, the bank can support breeding in hatcheries before the fish are released into open water bodies for natural regeneration, said Dr Yahia Mahmud, former director general of BFRI.

The scale of indigenous fish farming has also expanded considerably. Around five lakh farmers are involved in small indigenous fish cultivation in the country, while fry of local small fish are produced in over 500 hatcheries, he said.

More than two crore people are directly and indirectly dependent on fish culture throughout the country, while six lakh people become involved in the country’s fish sector every year, said Dr Yahia.

BFRI has so far developed 55 aquaculture and management technologies, most of which have already been transferred to the field level to support overall fish production.

The institute has also successfully conducted research on Thai pangas, genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT), native and exotic carp and non-carp species, and mud eel (kuchia) for commercial production, said Dr Md Latiful Islam, director general of BFRI.

The conservation work may also open new commercial opportunities beyond food production.

Researchers said colourful indigenous fish such as darkina, khalisa, meni, tengra, rani and gutum have good demand as aquarium fish in different countries and strong export potential.

For BFRI, the challenge now is not only to preserve endangered indigenous fish in research facilities, but also to ensure that conserved species continue to return to ponds, hatcheries and open water bodies, they added.

The institute was awarded the prestigious “Ekushey Padak” in 2020 for its outstanding research work in the fisheries sector.