CARP SPAWN FISHERY IN THE PADMA (GANGE)-BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER SYSTEM, BANGLADESH

Abstract

The investigation of the carp-spawn fishery in the Padina-Brahmaputra river
system in Bangladesh, in 1984 and 1985, showed that in 1984 there were 1,212
savars operating 24,053 spawn collection nets at 161 spawn collection centers.
Total spawn production from the river system was 23,657 kg, contributing 93.86%
of the total spawn production in Bangladesh. The total production of spawn in
terms of takas was estimated to be 47.93 million (US $1.76 million). In the river
system, the instantaneous rate of natural reduction of spawn caused by natural
mortality, emigration, retention and other natural causes was calculated to be
0.0049 (a reduction rate of 0.49% per km). In the Jamuna-Brahmaputra river
and its tributaries, the fishing intensity ranged between 20.72 nets|km and 51.45
netslkm. The instantaneous rate of fishing reduction of spawn (the reduction of
spawn abundance in the river due to fishing activity) ranged between 0.0066 and
0.0139, contributing 60.16% and 73.94% of the rate of total reduction. On the
other hand, in the Padma River and its tributaries the fishing intensity was low,
ranged between 5.86 nets|km and 7.22 netsjkm. The rate of fishing reduction was
0.0001, which was only 2% of the rate of total reduction of spawn in the river.
The effects of the carp spawn fishery on major-carp stocks and on pond culture
in Bangladesh are discussed.