The Bangladeshi government took a big step to protect biodiversity in November, issuing broad restrictions on fishing and other activities affecting the Halda River, as the Dhaka Tribune reported.
Stretching 81 kilometers (50 miles), the Halda is the only tidal freshwater river worldwide where certain Indian carp species spawn. Moreover, the Halda is home to several threatened, endangered, or critically endangered species, including the Ganges river dolphin.
Locally, the Halda is known as a "magical fish bank," a designation that is as much economic as it is ecological, as the river meets 60% of Bangladesh's carp seed demand. In 2020, the government of Bangladesh restricted some fishing due to broad habitat degradation.
According to Mongabay, incremental conservation efforts have been ongoing since 2018. The outlet noted that as of 2016, carp eggs had "all but disappeared" from the Halda, prompting the government to intervene.
"Two major polluting factories — Asian Paper Mills and the 100-MW peaking power plant — have been shut down for the last three years as part of conservation initiatives, which ultimately reduced pollution by half," said an expert quoted by Mongabay in 2022.
That year, the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) highlighted government actions to protect the Halda and the improvements that followed.
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However, the group warned that the river remained "highly polluted," citing the construction of rubber dams and dolphin deaths as cause for further action. A 2022 research paper published in Heliyon found that illegal and indiscriminate fishing were detrimental to biodiversity.
Targeted bans on fishing can be pivotal for ecosystems like that of the Halda, ensuring rare endemic species are less vulnerable to becoming bycatch.
Bangladesh has "officially declared" the Halda River its first "Fish Heritage" site, imposing a "complete ban" on fishing and other activities, the Dhaka Tribune reported. The move designated 23,422 acres (about 36.6 square miles) of land along its banks as part of the protected site.
Under the new restrictions, several protections were put in place: waste of any kind can no longer be discharged into it, the river's flow can no longer be altered, research will be strictly monitored, and the use of "engine-driven heavy vessels" is now banned in the area, as detailed in the reporting.
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Definitely 👍 Several provisions were sweeping, and the Bangladeshi government stipulated that the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock could amend and reinforce the new policies as needed.
As reported by Jagonews24.com, advocates lauded the Halda River's new designation as a "landmark" move and a "long-overdue step" toward protecting one of Bangladesh's most vital aquatic habitats.
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