Mother fish release eggs in River Halda

Mother fish of different species have released eggs at several places in the River Halda, the only natural fish spawning centre in South Asia.

Hathazari upazila administration and local egg collectors confirmed the release of sample eggs. Preparations for this occasion began on Sunday morning, with egg collectors placing nets at different points in the river to collect the carp mother fish eggs during low tide.

River Halda is now bustling with hundreds of boats, actively engaged in the collection of fish eggs. The fishers said they found 50 to 150 grams of eggs in some places on the coast of Halda after 12pm on Sunday (18 June).

The egg collection will continue on Monday at Azim Ghat, Amtua, Ramdas Ghat, Mobarkhil, and Napiter Ghat areas in Hathazari upazila.

Harun, an egg collector, expressed his excitement, saying "I have been eagerly awaiting this moment for the past month and a half. Finally, today I can collect the eggs. If the weather remains favourable, there is a possibility of a higher egg count this time." He also said that more eggs are expected to be available on Monday.

Dr Mohammad Ali Azadi, a River Halda researcher and professor at Chittagong University, said, "As of 1:30am, the eggs collected by the dedicated egg collectors are not full-scale or sufficient. Only time will tell if a substantial number of eggs have been collected."

Hathazari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Shahidul Alam said, "The new moon phase began on Saturday (17 June). The administration is actively supervising the operations, and all government hatcheries are fully prepared."

Each year, from April to June, native carp species such as Rui, Katla, Mrigel, and Kali Baush migrate from various rivers, including Karnaphuli and Sangu, to Halda for egg hatching.

The egg release by mother fish relies on favourable natural conditions, including appropriate temperatures, water quality, strong currents, and thunderstorms, to create an optimal environment for egg hatching.

Due to insufficient rainfall during the current season, the wait for this event extended from April to mid-June. Moreover, factors such as climate change, overfishing of mother fish, and river degradation have contributed to a decline in the number of eggs.

Earlier, on 18 May, the first round of sample eggs was released, but the mother fish did not release the eggs completely as the weather was not favourable.

In 2020, a record-breaking 25,000kg of eggs were collected from Halda. However, in the following two years, the numbers plummeted to less than half. In 2021, only 8,500kg of eggs were collected, and in 2022, this figure decreased further to 7,500kg.

Fish or aquatic animals cannot be caught from the River Halda since it has been declared as "Bangabandhu Fisheries Heritage" river.

However, under the supervision of the Department of Fisheries, fertilized fish eggs may be collected at certain times during the breeding season every year.