Fishers in Bangladesh are concerned about how fast one fish's population is growing around the country.
What's happening?
According to The Business Standard, suckermouth catfish (also known as sucker fish) are multiplying rapidly in Bangladesh's Buriganga River and wetlands. Fishers are worried about how this could change the fishing landscape.
"Seven or eight years ago, this fish suddenly started to spread," fisher Shantas Das told The Business Standard. "My family has been fishing in the Buriganga for generations. Pollution reduced the number of native fish, but we could still survive by fishing in this wetland beside the river."
The news outlet stated that the fish were initially seen as an aquarium species in the 1980s. People released them over time, introducing the fish to bodies of water and allowing them to spread and become "invasive."
Why is the spread of sucker fish concerning?
Fishers are concerned about losing their sources of income as the sucker fish population grows.
"In the past, if we invested 10,000 Bangladeshi taka [$818] for a season, we could earn around 70,000 taka [$572.60] in revenue," another fisher, Mohammad Babul Hossain, told the publication.
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"Now we don't invest that much, because we barely make a profit of 10,000 to 20,000 taka [$81.80 to $163.60]."
If the sucker fish population isn't controlled in some way, it could continue to harm Bangladesh's fishing community. Managing the environment will allow fishers in Bangladesh to keep doing their jobs and providing food for the people around them.
It's important to note that the sucker fish, like other species that are considered "invasive," isn't intentionally doing anything wrong.
The Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute said that sucker fish are native to Brazil, Venezuela, and Rio de la Plata between Uruguay and Argentina. They're considered invasive anywhere from Texas to Bangladesh itself. They've proved to be a problem in Malaysia, for example.
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$200 or more 💰 Sucker fish, however, are just trying to survive, no matter where they are. They eat anything from algae to small fish, and large, bony plates protect their body.
Despite all of this, the sucker fish's presence is still causing some harm. Finding a solution to manage the sucker fish is crucial to keeping fish and fishers' lives balanced.
What's being done about sucker fish?
Dr. Md. Hasan Faruque expressed concern to The Business Standard about the sucker fish population's numbers. He warned that the fish have spread out too far for bans on trade or imports to mean anything.
Faruque instead advocated for "strict enforcement, scientific monitoring, public awareness, and financial incentives."
If you're looking to rehome a pet, people in many states can find resources through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Don't Let It Loose program.
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