Several fishermen are illegally using commonly available pesticides, particularly synthetic pyrethroids to harvest high-value crustaceans or prawns in the lower stretches of the River Ganga in West Bengal. The practice may cause significant harm to the river’s ecosystem in the long run, scientists from ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) have sounded alarms.
“Research has shown that pesticide residues are present in fish tissues from the River Ganga, although concentrations are currently below levels deemed hazardous to human health.
“However, long-term exposure to these chemicals can impact reproductive health in fish and pose risks to wildlife and human populations dependent on the river for drinking water and livelihood,” the researchers warned, calling for urgent stringent regulatory actions and community awareness. The illegal fishing practice is particularly prevalent in areas extending from Nabadwip to Balagarh in the State, said the study.
Also, as per the representation of the local communities in the studied area, the scientists found that illegal intruders appear from neighbouring areas, specifically the villages adjacent to the river.
“They target the lucrative freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium spp.), which commands high prices in the market. Apart from this, a variety of Small Indigenous Fish species are caught rampantly as the bye catch, including Puntius spp., Gudusia chapra, Salmostoma,” said Ajoy Saha, Archisman Ray, Kausik Mondal, Basanta Kumar Das from ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI), Barrackpore, and Vikas Kumar from ICAR-CIFRI, Prayagraj.