CHANDPUR, Apr 3: Acute scarcity of fish has been prevailing in Chandpur district causing great inconvenience to the consumers.

According to Chandpur Fisheries Department sources, the production of fish has fallen down by about 50 per cent due to the impact of siltation in major rivers.

Besides, drying up of canals. Eonds, rivers and other water odies have attributed to the fall of fish production. As a result 40 thousand fishermen have become jobless. They are passing their days in great hardship.

Fisheries experts opined that about 20 thousand ponds under seven thanas have been king uncultivated due to dispute of ownership of ponds.

If these ponds are brought under fish cultivation, a huge quantity of fish worth about Taka 10 crore might be produced annually.

Moreover, about 40 per cent ponds are under share ownership. Due to uncultivation, these ponds have been silted and dried up. Many ponds have been covered with water hyacinth making fish cultivation impossible. If a comprehensive scheme is not taken up by the authorities concerned a large number of ponds would be left derelict causing heavy loss to the owners.

Fish cultivation in the areas have also been affected due to various fish diseases. Fish diseases have broken out in epidemic form in different areas recently.