Narinjara News
Pesticides for prawns: Arakanese invention leading to extinction of shell animals
Akyab, May 4: Arakanese
people throughout the state are “stealing” fish by using pesticide, since it is
not possible to catch the fish legally from the rivers and lakes, according to
our correspondent.
The use of pesticide is threatening the existence of crustaceans, such as prawn
and crab. Though pesticides are not killing the large fish species, young
and small fish species are suffering, and the shell
animals are affected the worst.
Shwe Marlar and Shwe Ciper
brands of pesticide are intended for agriculture, but they have been widely
used for the quick killing of fish in the waters of Mrauk
Oo, Kyauk Taw, Min Bya,
Pauk Taw and
People are turning to such drastic measures because ordinary citizens are not
allowed to take fish, prawn or anything from the rivers, creeks and lakes.
All these were contracted out to businessmen who have large amounts of cash.
This privatisation of natural resources has hit hard
on the daily life of ordinary fishermen whose family lives depend upon the
daily catch.
If such ordinary people wanted to catch fish, they have to pay 500 to 1000
kyats, depending upon the size of the net to the private operators of the waterways.
The pesticides are put in streams in the upper parts of the rivers’ catchment areas. This leads to the death of shell
animals and small fishes lower down the river, where they wash up so that they
can be picked out of the water.
The use of pesticide may cause severe health problems to the people and grave
environmental degradation.#
For further information, please contact Narinjara:
Phone: 880 189 255 018 (
E-mail: [email protected]