Concern over the spread of sugar fish across the country from Gulshan Lake

Scientists are worried about South America’s ‘Sugarmouth Cat Fish’ or ‘Sugar Fish’, which has spread from the aquarium to Gulshan Lake. Recently, after Buriganga and Padma, ‘Sugar Fish’ has also been found in Halda River, one of the largest natural breeding grounds for carp in South Asia.
The scientific name of sugar fish is Hypostomus plecustomus. If the sugar fish continues to grow in this way, the existence of fresh water fish in the country will be threatened, scientists are expressing fear.

According to a report by the German media Deutsche Welle, citing fish scientists, the saka fish eat other native fish food and take over the habitat. People of Bangladesh do not feed these fish, they reproduce quickly and survive in any environment.

Talking to the fisheries scientists, it is known that for the last 10 years, Saka fish has been found in the reservoirs of Bangladesh. Studies have shown that this aquarium fish spread from Gulshan Lake. Now it has spread to rivers and ponds. Most of the saka fish are found in Buriganga and Turag rivers. Padma and Halday have also recently caught the fish in fishermen's nets.

Scientists fear, if the sugar fish increases like this, the existence of fresh water fish in the country will be threatened.

Sugarfish are widespread in freshwater
Sugarfish are widespread in freshwater

Chairman of the River and Delta Research Center Mohammad Ejaz said, when Buriganga and Turage fishermen cast their nets, the nets are filled with Saka fish. No other fish are available. They also survive and reproduce in polluted water. The native fish that used to be available in Buriganga and Turaga is no longer available.

A group of researchers from Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University is working on Saka fish. The head of the research team is Professor of Fisheries Biology and Genetics Department. Kazi Ahsan Habib said, this fish of the Amazon region has the ability to survive and reproduce in any environment. They occupy the shelter and eat food of other fish. And because it lives at the bottom of the river or reservoir, it eats the food of other fish and takes over its habitat. Since the people of our country do not eat this fish, they are rapidly breeding and displacing native fish.

He said, this fish has thorns all over its body. Big spines on front and back. As a result, other fish survive easily. This fish has now spread to the rivers and ponds of remote areas of the country. They survive for at least 24 hours without water.

Director of Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute. Mohammad Khalilur Rahman said that this fish is harmful to the human body but no evidence has been found yet. But because no one is eating, this fish is multiplying rapidly. As a result, there is a big threat to native species of freshwater fish.

Sugarfish are widespread in freshwater
Sugarfish are widespread in freshwater

Fisheries scientists are talking about using fishermen to eradicate this fish to protect the country's freshwater fish. These fish must be killed after being caught and cannot be released back into the reservoir. Fishermen can be given financial incentives for this. Wide publicity is needed.

Professor Dr. Kazi Ahsan Habib said, it is possible to make fish feed with this fish Initiative should be taken for that. The bottom line is that its reproduction needs to be balanced.

However, the Chairman of River and Delta Research Center, Mohammad Ejaz, thinks that it is possible to prevent its spread even by changing dietary habits. This fish looks ugly but is delicious. Not harmful to human body. We have cooked and eaten ourselves. But it is difficult to process.

Dr. Mohammad Khalilur Rahman said, I have been personally warning the fishermen about the fish since the beginning. Now fishermen are being told through fisheries workers at district and upazila levels But more publicity is needed.

He also demanded policy regarding aquarium fish in Bangladesh, saying it has spread from aquarium. But whatever foreign fish, animal or plant is brought into this country, it needs to have a policy. Quarantine provisions should be in place. First, we need to see whether the fish or animal is suitable for our environment.

He said that a president of Bangladesh brought Akashmani tree from abroad which is harmful to our environment and human body. I was fed up with piranha fish Although later that fish was banned.

Director General of Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) Yahia Mahmud said, we are aware of the news that Saker fish was found in the rivers of different districts of the country.

He said, there is no doubt that Saka fish is a native species. In reservoirs or rivers where there are saka fish, they will eat the native species of fish. That is, native species of fish will eventually get less food, native species of fish will suffer.

source: DailyBangladesh