Native fish species disappearing in Barahakshetra

By Baburam Karki,Barahakshetra, Aug. 25: Native fishes that were once commonly found in rivers, streams, ponds, irrigation canals, and rice fields in the Sunsari district during the rainy season are now disappearing. 

The use of pesticides and electric current to catch fish has led to the decline of local fish species that were once found from rice fields to irrigation canals, experts claimed.

“In the past, fish were caught right in the rice fields, but nowadays, fish cannot even be found in the rivers and streams,” said Ram Kaji Shrestha of Prakashpur. 

Many households like Shrestha’s, who used to catch fish in the streams, ponds, and rivers around the Koshi Corridor area of the district, no longer have native fish in their kitchens.

The increase in the use of pesticides and electric current to catch fish has resulted in the decline of native fishes in rivers and streams. “Fish species that were once found in streams with water during the rainy season, such as those in the Sehara and Sunsari rivers, are now disappearing. In the past, rice fields during the rainy season were replete with fish like Hile, Garai, Sutali, and Singi,” Shrestha said.

Local Shambhu Rana Magar reported that fishes have become scarce over the past three or four years. The use of electric current and pesticides to catch fish is causing a decline in fish population in the rivers, he claimed.

According to Shyam Urab of Prakashpur, the use of chemical pesticides in rice fields to kill weeds and pests has destroyed fish eggs, leading to the decline of local fish species. 

Bhishma Adhikari, Chairman of the Fish Business Association of Sunsari, said that pesticides negatively affect the reproductive capabilities of fishes, causing their decline. He further added that aquatic creatures like snails, turtles, and mussels, which were once found in rice fields, are also becoming rare.

Fish species like Hile, Garai, and Pothi Junge, which usually hide in the soil and come out during the rainy season, are also disappearing. Fishes are under threat as they are a food source not just for humans but also for animals and birds.

In the past, many people made a living by catching fish in local rivers and streams during the rainy season. “Earlier, one could easily catch five to ten kilograms of fish in just two hours. Now, it is hard to find even a few fish to eat after scouring the rivers and streams all day,” said Gulabi Mukhia, president of the Fishermen's Network in the buffer zone area. 

She said, “Previously, one cast of a net would yield a basketful of fish, but now, even after fishing all day, it is difficult to get enough fish for one meal.”

Mukhia reported that fish species such as Belouna (Kati), Chechara, Kusraha, Rajwam, and Dhale have not been found in the Saptakoshi River for several years. Many fish species are disappearing from the Koshi River and its tributaries.