Fish fry dying amid searing heat in Jashore hatcheries

The prevailing heatwave sweeping over Jashore region is causing a sharp fall in the oxygen level in water, eventually leaving fish fries dead in a large number in the hatcheries here.

Consequently, hatchery owners in the region are worried about a possible massive disruption to their annual fry production.

The hatchery owners are apprehensive of a loss amounting to Tk 200 million (Tk 20 crore), industry insiders said.

Ahidulla Lulu, a hatchery owner, said, "I think that I will not be able to keep alive even half the produced fries. For the past two weeks, intense heat has been taking its heavy toll on our business."

The country's highest temperature was recorded at 43.8 degrees Celsius in Jashore this week. The period spanning from March to August is the peak season for fry production in the hatcheries.

Around 60 per cent of the country's total demand for fish fry is met by the hatcheries in Jashore.

Around one and a half kilograms of fingerlings were produced in 40 hatcheries at Chanchra in Jashore sadar upazila in the last one year.

Feroz Khan, president of Jashore District Fish Hatchery Owners Association and owner of Ma Fatima Fish Hatchery, said due to severe heatwave, buyers are not buying fish fry so much. That is why the price has fallen. At present fish fry is being sold at Tk2,000 per kg while it was priced at Tk4,000 per kg in the last season.

He added, "Last year in Jashore we produced 150,000 kgs of chickpeas. Many hatcheries were closed due to coronavirus.

In the current season, everyone has started production of fish fry in full swing, but severe heatwave is razzing their hopes; fry production will fall to half of the target this year, he continued.

The disaster will cause a financial loss of about Tk 200 million to the hatchery owners, he said.

He also said, "Earlier we used to pay electricity bill at the rate designated for the agriculture sector. Now it has to be paid at the industrial rate, which is a double blow for us."

According to the District Fisheries Office, Jashore is playing an important role in the production of fish fry. Piglets are being produced in 40 hatcheries in the district.

Among them, the production of carp is 64.86 tonnes.

The present annual demand for fish fry in the district is 15.23 tonnes. Surplus 49.63 tonnes are sent to different parts of the country. Tilapia fingerlings are being produced at the rate of 101.40 million.

The demand in the district is 98.85 tonnes. Surplus 6.55 tonnes of tilapia fry is supplied to different parts of the country.

Production of Pangash fry is 3.62 tonnes while production of Shing, Magur, Pabda and Gulsa fry is 0.85 tonnes.

According to sources, there are total 51 ponds on 18,084 hectares of land in Jashore. Basically, fish is produced in these ponds, which meets half of the country's demand.

Masudul Mondal, owner of Rupali Fish Hatchery, said, "Oxygen level in water is falling drastically in the current summer. Even by running all the motors we have it is not possible to cool the water."

"It is not possible to save fish fry in such an extreme heat. Due to the heat for the last several days, our work has also increased," he added.

District Hatchery Owners Association General Secretary Zahidur Rahman Goldar said, "We always have to produce molecules in an adverse condition. Production is interrupted by extreme heat."

Jashore District Fisheries Officer Sarkar Muhammad Rafiqul Alam said, "Jashore has been experiencing a severe heatwave for the past several days. This is disrupting production of the fisheries sector. Production of fish fry in hatcheries is decreasing, which can affect the country's market."

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