Present Status of Fish, Fishers and Fisheries of Dogger Beel in Hajigonj Upazila, Chandpur, Bangladesh

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The data were collected in respect of the fishery of the beel, fishing activities and socio-economic condition for nine months from March 2 to November 2, 2012 every 15 days interval.

2.2. Prepared the Questionnaires & Data Collection

The questionnaire was developed in a logical sequence of that the target group could answer chronologically. For this study a combination of questionnaire interview, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tool such as Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and cross-check interviews with key informants were used for fishermen (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Data collection methods from fishermen

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2.3. Questionnaire Interview

To collects data with questionnaire interviews, simple random sampling method was followed in 40 fishermen in the Dogger beel. The interview of fishermen was made at home or beel sites during fishing.

2.4. Questionnaire Survey and Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

For the present study, the PRA tool such as Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was conducted with fishermen. In the study , FGD was used to get an overview of particular issues such as existing fish composition, fishing systems, management of the beel and also improving the production of the Dogger beel an as well as its fish biodiversity, socio-economic conditions of fishermen etc. A total of three FGD sessions were conducted in the beel area where each group size of FGD was 10 to15 fishermen.

2.5. Cross-check Interview

Cross-check interviews were conducted with key person such as, Upazila Fisheries Officer (UFO), and District Fisheries Officer (DFO), Scientific Officers of BFRI, School teachers, local leaders, NGO workers where information was contradictory or requested for further assessment.

2.6. Data Processing and Analysis

The collected data were coded, summarized and processed for analysis. Tabular technique was applied for the analysis of data by using simple statistical tools like averages and percentages. Collected data has been analyzed by Microsoft Excel.

3. Results

The Dogger beel is a beel adjacent to the Dakatia River. Water depth of the beel fluctuated in different months and ranged from 0 to 8 ft. The highest water depth was recorded in October and the beel remains dry in Febuary and March. The highest value of water depth was recorded in the canal of the beel was 14 ft. According to the statement of the fishermen and the people from surrounding area of the beel, 10 years ago the beel was rich with different fish species. These are Gudasia chapra, Corica soborna, Pelloua ditchela, Notopterus notopterus, Cyprinus carpio, Labeo rohita, Labeo calbasu, Labeo gonius, Cirrhinus cirrhosus, Catla catla, Amblypharyngodon mola, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Ctenopharyngodon idella, Puntius sarana, P. stigma, P. sophore, P. ticto, Esomus danricus, Rohtee cotio, Chela laubuca, Botia Dario, Lepidocephalus guntea, Sperata aor,Mystus vittatus, Mystus bleekeri, Mystus tengara, Wallago attu, Ompok pabda, Neotropius atherinoides, Pseudeutropius atherinoides, Ailia coila, Pangasius pangasius, Clarias batrachus, Heteropneustes fossilis, Chaca chaca, Xenentodon cancila, Pseudambassis beculis, Pseudambassis lala, Chanda nama, Pseudambassis ranga, Nandus nandus, Badis badis,Tilapia mussanbicus, Oreochromis niloticus, Glossogobius giuris,Channa striatus, Channa marulius, Channa punctatus, Channa orientalis, Anabas testudinus, Colisa fasciatus, Colisa lalius, Colisa sota, Tetraodon cutcutia, Mastacembelus armatus, Mastacembelus pancalus, Macrognathus aculeatus, Monopterus cuchia, Macrobracium rosenbergii, Macrobracium malcomsonii, Macrobrachium lammarrei, Macrobracium villosimanus. At that time the fishermen were very much satisfied about their everyday catch from the beel. At the present time, beel water bodies have been changed with their normal characteristics. For the various modifications of the Dogger beel is in critical condition now. The species compositions of fishes caught by different types of gears have been given. These are Gudasia chapra, Corica soborna, Pelloua ditchela, Notopterus notopterus,Cyprinus carpio, Labeo rohita, Labeo calbasu, Labeo gonius,Cirrhinus cirrhosus,Catla catla, Amblypharyngodon mola, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix,Ctenopharyngodon idella, Puntius sarana, P. stigma, P. sophore, P. ticto, Esomus danricus, Rohtee cotio, Chela laubuca, Lepidocephalus guntea, Mystus vittatus, Mystus bleekeri, Mystus tengara, Wallago attu, Ompok pabda, Neotropius atherinoides ,Pseudeutropius atherinoides, Ailia coila, Pangasius pangasius, Clarias batrachus, Heteropneustes fossilis, Xenentodon cancila ,Pseudambassis beculis, Pseudambassis lala, Chanda nama, Pseudambassis ranga, Nandus nandus, Badis badis, Tilapia mussanbicus, Oreochromis niloticus, Glossogobius giuris, Channa striatus, Channa marulius, Channa punctatus, Channa orientalis, Anabas testudinus, Colisa fasciatus, Colisa lalius, Colisa sota, Tetraodon cutcutia, Mastacembelus armatus, Mastacembelus pancalus, Macrognathus aculeatus ,Macrobracium rosenbergii, Macrobracium malcomsonii, Macrobrachium lammarrei, Macrobracium villosimanus. In the beel, 58 species belong to 21family under 9 order were found in different seasons. All the species are not found equal amount. Among them 16 species belong to the family Cyprinidae; within 58 recorded, 44 fished were SIS (Small Indigenous Species) and the rest 14 species were large fish. There were 6 exotic species recorded in the beel. Among 58 species the maximum fish species (16) were under Cyprinidae family. Four families (Ambassidae, Channidae, Anabantidae and Palaeomonidae) represented 4 species each and another four families (Clupedaei, Schilbeidae, Bagridae and Mastacembelidae) represented 3 species each, and the rest thirteen families represented 1 to 2 species each. The following number of fish found in Dogge beel (Figure 3) and 10 dominant fishes (kg/day) also found in Dogger beel at present investigation which are shown in Figure 4.

Figure 3. Total number of fish species found under different families in Dogge beel

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Figure 4. Ten dominant fish species (kg/day) found in the study area

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Fisher Types

The fishermen who catch fish in Dogger beel were categorized into three groups.

Professional fishermen: the fishermen who depends on fishing almost year round for their livelihoods.

Seasonal professional fishermen: the fishermen who catch fish during a particular time of the year for income source.

Subsistence fishermen: the fishermen who catch fish for their own consumption.

Socio-economic condition and the distribution of fishermen

In the present survey, it was found that Muslims were featuring as the absolute majority of the fishermen. In the study area, 84% of the fishers were Muslims and the rest16% was Hindus.

Distribution according to season

The distribution of the fishermen varies with the seasons (Figure 6). Fishermen were distributed by the category over the season observed in the study area: “Pre-monsoon” (April-June), “Monsoon” (July-September), “Post-monsoon” (October-December) and “Dry season” (January-March).

Figure 5. Distribution of fishermen by season in the Dogger beel

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Distribution according to family size

On the basis of family size the fishermen were classified into three categories: Small family (1-4), Medium family (5-6) and large family (above 6). The maximum percentage (45%) of the fishermen had medium family which is nearly fifty percent of total fishermen. The lowest percentage (22.5%) of the fishermen had small family. The larger family represents the 32.5% of total fishermen. The mean family size of the study area is almost similar to that national average.

Distribution according to age structure

The distribution of fishers of the Dogger beel according to age structure ranged from 18 years to 60 years. On the basis of age structure the fishers were classified into three categories: “Yong” (18-35years), “Middle aged” (36-50 years) and “Old” (above 50 years). The maximum 42.5% of fishermen were Middle aged while the proportion of Old and the Young aged fishers were respectively 32.5% and 25% of the total fishers.

Distribution according to income level

Annual income of fishers varied from BDT 30,000 to 96,000 with a mean income of the professional fishermen was BDT 61,375 only. On the basis of their annual income the fishers were classified into three categories: “Low income” (up to BDT 48,000), “Medium income” (BDT 48,000 to 72,000) and “High income” (above BDT 72,000) shown in Figure 6. The half 52.5% fishers had low income while the proportion of medium income and high income earning fishers were respectively 37.5% and 10% of the total fishers.

Figure 6. Distribution of fishers according to their annual income

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Distribution according to education level

On the basis of education score of the fishermen, they were classified into five categories (Figure 7): “Illiterate” (0), “Can sign only” (0.5), “Primary level” (1-5), “Secondary level” (6-10) and “Higher secondary and above” (above 10).One third 32.5% of the fisher can sign their name while about 22.5% of them were illiterate. Among them 25% of the fisher had primary level education, 12.5% of the fisher had secondary level education and the rest of 7.5% of had higher secondary and above level education. Although 35.5% can sign only but they are not considered as effective education, so the proportion of no education were about 55%. Thus the effective literacy percentage of the fishers of the study area was 45% which were much lower than the national average 56.8%.

Figure 7. Distribution of fishers according to their education level

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Socio-economic constrains of the fishers

The fishers of the Dogger beel have faced various types of problems. The main problem was identified as inadequate credit facility, other problems were lack of skill fishers, lack of appropriate gears, presence of aquatic vegetation and extension by the local extortionist. Most of the fishermen were poor and illiterate and live from hand to mouth. As a result, generation after generation they remain itinerate and not being able to contribute for betterment of their family and community. Another socio-economic constraint is the onset of flood that has to be faced by the fishers almost every year.

Fishing gear used in the Dogger beel

Dogger beel is very rich in fisheries and so as fishing gears. The fishing gears found in the study area were classified into five types, namely fish net, fish trap, hook, FAD (Fish Aggregation Devices) and wounding gear/Spears. Each of these types had again been classified into a number of sub-types (Table 1). From the survey it was found those only 5 type nets, 3 types of traps, 2 types of hooks, 2 spears and various FAD. Most of the gears were traditional and some of them were unique of the particular locality. Almost 90% of the area of the beel remains dry from January to April.

Table 1. Fishing gears used in Dogger beel

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Species availability in different fishing gears

The catch composition of different fish species varies with the seasonal variation of water level of the beel and also with the variation of gears used. It was observed that the ber jal and the current jal were used to catch almost all the major fish species in the beel. The major fish species caught by specific gears are presented in Table 2.

Table 2 Major fish species caught by different fishing gear in Dogger beel

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Number of fishing gears observed in a day in operatioThere are some specific gear for specific fish and some for common fish. During the study period in Dogger beel, six types of fishing gears were observed for fishing in a single day.

Fishing duration of every single gear observed in a day

It is very important to know the fishing duration to estimate the fish yields and to keep track of the catch per unit effort (CPUE). It was seen that most of the gears used both day and night basis. Current jal mostly uses at morning or at night; most of the traps operate through the whole night. In the study area the highest and the lowest fishing duration recorded in current jal and chip borshi. The gears which used longer time were current jal, ber jal, dharm jal, unta and icha chai. The fishing hours of used gears are presented in the Table 4.10.

Table 3. Fishing duration every single gear observed in a day

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