Status of Tenualosa ilisha, Notopterus chitala and other five Catfish in the Padma River

Seven fish species Pangasius pangasius, Sperata aor, Rita rita, Wallago attu, Notopterus chitala, Bagarius bagarius, and Tenualosa ilisha as well as their habitats, breeding grounds, and nursery grounds are identified in a study conducted in the Padma River. Variations in the water and soil quality of the six basins of the Padma River were investigated. Questionnaires, focus groups, surveys of fish markets, local ecological knowledge, and breeding ground monitoring were used to gather primary data.whereas secondary data was collected from websites, literature reviews, and the Department of Fisheries. Between 2015 and 2019, the study discovered a downward trend in overall output across five basins, with seven fish species at high danger of going extinct. In the river Padma, the biodiversity of Pangasius species was at extremely high risk of extinction (critically endangered, or CR); Sperata aor was at extremely high risk of extinction (CR); Rita ritawas was at extremely high risk of extinction (CR); Wallago attuwas was at extremely high risk of extinction (CR); Notopterus chitala was at very high risk of extinction (EN); Bagarius bagarius was at extremely high risk of extinction (CR); and Tenualosa ilisha was at very high risk of extinction (EN). These species' ecosystem health is impacted by a number of causes, including sedimentation, the building of embankments, the use of herbicides and pesticides, overexploitation, and the Farakka Barrage's inadequate water flow.