Chittagong Floods Cause 2.10 Billion Baka Damage to Fisheries

Recent severe flooding in Chittagong has wreaked havoc on the local aquaculture and fisheries sector, inundating numerous ponds, tanks, and fish enclosures across various upazilas in the district. According to preliminary assessments released by the Chittagong District Fisheries Office, the total financial loss incurred by the sector due to the disaster is estimated to be approximately 2.10 billion taka.

The extensive damage spans across a massive agricultural infrastructure, affecting 23,610 ponds, tanks, and farms, alongside an additional 789 commercial fish enclosures. Among the hardest-hit areas is Patiya, where local reports confirmed that 1,435 ponds and large tanks sustained heavy damage as floodwaters breached embankments and swept away valuable aquatic livestock.

Local fish farmers have expressed deep concern over the aftermath of the disaster. Abdus Sabur, a local fish farmer, detailed the personal toll of the catastrophe, stating that floodwaters washed away a large portion of his fish stock while causing the remaining fish to fall ill with diseases. He noted that all his carp-type fish have died, resulting in an estimated personal loss of around 400,000 taka, and lamented that adequate advice and cooperation from fisheries officials have not been readily available since the floods.

Another industry stakeholder, Mosharraf Hossain Sohel, explained that farmers had originally released fry into their ponds and projects during the Bengali months of Baishakh and Jaistha. These fish were just reaching a marketable size when the floods struck, washing away fish from the majority of ponds and enclosures across southern Chittagong and confirming the worst fears of local producers.

The severe disruption in supply has had an immediate impact on consumer markets, particularly at the Kalabibir Dighir Mor fish market. Mosharraf Hossain Sohel noted that while normal daily transactions at the market typically reach approximately 3.0 million taka worth of freshwater fish, trading volume has now plummeted by half, causing market prices for fish to surge significantly and almost double.

Current retail prices reflect this severe supply deficit in the local markets. Large-scale catla fish are now being sold at 700 taka per kilogram, while smaller catla are priced at 450 taka. Additionally, rui fish is trading at 350 taka per kilogram, gulsha fish at 1,100 taka, pabda fish at 400 taka, and tilapia fish at 300 taka per kilogram.

In response to the crisis, State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku visited Chittagong to inspect the situation and directed authorities to urgently prepare a comprehensive list of affected fish farmers. Officials are working to support the recovery of the industry, with Sultan Salahuddin Tuku noting that once production activities return to normal, the supply of fish spawn and fry will increase, gradually reducing the overall shortage of fish.

Echoing these sentiments, Salma Begum emphasized that the fisheries sector suffered the heaviest losses during the recent floods. Authorities are actively working to help fish farmers rebuild their livelihoods and recover their operations, expressing strong optimism that fish production will successfully overcome this severe crisis.