Impacts and Management of Harmful Fishing Gear on Tanguar Haor's Biodiversity

Tanguar Haor, a Ramsar-designated wetland in northeastern Bangladesh, supports rich aquatic biodiversity and sustains livelihoods for over 60,000 people. However, the widespread use of harmful and non-selective fishing gears such as current jal, ber jal, lar barshi, and burchunga chai has caused significant declines in fish diversity and disrupted breeding habitats.This study assessed 15 types of fishing gears through twelve months of field investigation in the Tahirpur and Dharmapasha regions. Results indicated that non-selective gears (e.g., seine nets, lift nets, push nets) showed high catch per unit effort (CPUE) but caused severe juvenile and non-target fish mortality, while selective gears (e.g., koi jal and borshi) were less harmful. The catch composition was dominated by Cypriniformes (42%), Siluriformes (28%), and Anabantiformes (10%), reflecting ecosystem imbalance and overexploitation.The study recommends banning destructive fishing practices, enforcing selective gear regulations, strengthening community-based co-management systems, and introducing alternative livelihoods to ensure sustainable fisheries and preserve Tanguar Haor’s ecological integrity. Keywords Tanguar Haor; Harmful fishing gear; Fish biodiversity; Co-management; Sustainable fisheries; Bangladesh; Ramsar site