Protein on your plate may get costlier further as drought hampers fish production

High temperature and low rainfall have reduced fish spawn and fish fry production in hatcheries across the country, leading to a crisis in fish production this year.

Besides, the lack of water in ponds and canals in the peak season for the sector has made it difficult for farmers to cultivate the spawn and fry produced in the hatcheries.

According to the Department of Fisheries, the period from March to August is the peak season for fish spawn and fry production. However, the intense heat wave over the last two months (March-April) has disrupted fish egg production in hatcheries and natural sources nationwide.

Experts say that up to 80% of the spawns could be damaged if the temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius.

Jashore, a prominent hub for artificial fish fry production, typically produces 1.20 lakh kg of various fish spawn and fry each year. However, this year production has declined to 1 lakh kg.

Of the 34 hatcheries in Jashore's Chanchra fishery village, only 25 are operational this year. These hatcheries had remained closed for the past two months but have now resumed production on a limited scale.

Hatchery owners say that natural factors have started to significantly affect the hatchery business.

They note that the price of fish fry has declined due to a shortage of labour and reduced demand among fish farmers. The operational costs of hatcheries have also risen due to increased electricity prices.

Firoz Khan, president of the Jashore Fish Hatchery Owners Association and owner of Fatima Hatchery, stated that the intense heat experienced in the past two months has significantly impacted the production of fish spawn. Additionally, with the drying up of ponds, there has been a reduced demand for fry.

Mahbubur Rahman, assistant director of Jashore Fisheries Office, noted that several hatcheries have been forced to shut down due to their inability to sustain operations amidst the extreme weather conditions.

Of approximately 400 hatcheries in the Mymensingh region, around 40%-45% have been forced to close down due to insufficient water supply from natural sources.

Hatchery owners have highlighted the fact that the water level in the ponds for spawn production should ideally be maintained at 2.5-3 feet, with a maximum temperature of 28-30 degrees Celsius. Any temperature above this range negatively affects production.

Due to the lack of water in the ponds, there has been a decrease in the price and sale of fish fry.

For instance, compared to the same period last year, pangash fry is now being sold at Tk140 per kg, down from Tk170-180.

Currently, tilapia fry is being sold at Tk1-2 per piece, horn fish fry at 50-80 paisa per piece, magur at Tk1-2 per piece, and rui fry at Tk200-250 per kg.

Shafique Ahmed, owner of Satata Fish Hatchery in Tarakanda, Mymensingh, said that production costs have risen due to daily power outages lasting 12-14 hours, requiring the purchase of Tk6,000 worth of diesel.

A similar situation has been observed in shrimp farming. Shrimp farmers from Munshiganj union of Shyamnagar, Satkhira, have experienced an increase in shrimp mortality due to rising temperatures. While typically 10%-15% of shrimp fry would perish, this year it has reached 25%-30%.

Shrimp hatchery owners in Khulna-Satkhira have also reported damage to post-larvae production due to high temperatures.

Abu Barak Siddiqui, a shrimp farm owner from Munshiganj union, shared his experience of releasing 60,000 fry in March on a 25-bigha farm. Due to the increased temperature, approximately 30% of the shrimp fry did not survive.

According to the Department of Fisheries, there are a total of 1,056 hatcheries in the country, with 103 of them owned by the government. Fish spawn production in the country amounts to approximately 6.5 lakh kg, of which only 2,100 kg is produced from natural sources. The fry derived from these spawns are cultivated in ponds throughout the country.

Bangladesh currently attains self-sufficiency in fish production primarily through fish farming. The fisheries department reports that over 26 lakh tonnes of fish out of a total of 46 lakh tonnes produced in the country come from farmed fish.

However, there has been a decrease in the supply of both river and farmed fish in the market for the past few months, resulting in higher prices for consumers.

Officials at the Department of Fisheries said a continuous rainfall for a few days during this month would accelerate the breeding process. Additionally, farmers would begin purchasing fish fry if their ponds receive water.

KH Mahbubul Haque, director general of the Department of Fisheries, told The Business Standard, "The period from April to October is when fish experiences the highest growth. If fish farming is disrupted during this time, overall production will be adversely affected."

Egg breeding in Halda declines

The Halda River in Chattogram, which serves as the only natural breeding ground for carp fish in the country, is experiencing a shortage of fish eggs this year.

Halda researcher Shafiqul Islam said that increased salinity and high temperatures have disrupted the hormonal balance of mother fish in the Halda, leading to a continuous decline in egg production.

Manzurul Kibria, professor of the Zoology Department, Chattogram University, said that the natural topography of the river has been destroyed and the water temperature is increasing due to the construction of retaining walls and blocks on both banks.

No good news from the Met office

Meteorologists have predicted that, similar to last year, this year's rainfall is expected to be below normal due to the presence of El Nino conditions.

Mostafa Kamal Palash, PhD researcher on weather and climate at Saskatchewan University in Canada, said that during El Nino years, rainfall tends to be reduced, and the likelihood of drought increases. In various weather forecast models, the probability of El Nino conditions for this year ranges from 80% to 90%.

Palash further said that in the months of May, June and July, Bangladesh may experience 20%-30% less rainfall. However, normal rainfall is expected in August, September and October.

The World Meteorological Organization has issued a warning that the next five years could witness the hottest period in recent history.

Our correspondents Abu Azad and Monowar Ahmed from Chattogram and Jashore respectively contributed to this report