Success in reviving indigenous fish
Patuakhali pilot project now set for mass production of local variety of magur fry, 800 more private hatcheries in the offing
Sohrab Hossain, Patuakhali
Days may not far away when Bangalees will relish again on delicious indigenous magur fish, thanks to the successful efforts by the Patuakhali-Barguna Aquaculture Extension Project (PBAEP). At least the projects present performance and prospects suggest so. The highly nutritious and delicious sweet water fish is beyond the reach of the commonman now because of its high price and less availability. Unlike other fishes, its commercial cultivation is also very rare. Over eight lakh fries are now ready for sale in the current season, two and a half lakh of those at the project's hatchery in Patuakhali district hadquarters and the rest in five private hatcheries set up and run under supervision of project officials. The private hatcheries are doing well and more 800 are in the offing to multiply magur fries, said the project's Fish Specialist Rafiqul Islam Khan while talking to this correspondent recently. The PBAEP was set up in 2002 under assistance from DANIDA (Danish International Development Agency). "WE are getting a good response from fishermen and youths", he said. The project also provides short training to interested persons. There is tremendous scope to expand commercial cultivation of indigenous magur because this variety of fish survives and grows in water with lesser oxygen than needed for other fishes. So this can be grown even in ditches and big concrete-built tubs in homesteads. The cost is also lesser than for other indigenous fishes, he said. "Our pilot project has become a success and we are expanding it", he said. They have also developed an easy and cheap method to transport magur fries to distant areas like Dhaka, he said. The fries put in polythene bags with water and oxygen can be kept alive for over 15 hours and transported to distant areas, they said. In the initial year, 70,000 fries were produced in the project and sold to 10 fish farmers in Patuakhali Sadar upazila. In 2003, it produced and sold 1,30,000 fries. The farmers are responding well because they are earning good profit. "We have already selected about 1000 fish farmers in Patuakhali for cultivation of magur fish and many of them also want to set up mini hatcheries", Rafiqul Islam said. "They are interested because its cultivation is easy, cheap and more profitable". "We will develop a marketing chain throughout the country", an enthusiastic Rafiqul Islam said.
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