Poaching of 'Gangetic dolphin' continues in rivers across Assam

A CORRESPONDENT

DHUBRI: Whenever the river dolphin (known as the 'Gangetic dolphin') is spotted in the Brahmaputra and the Gangadhar River from various locations, poachers start fishing them clandestinely. Oil extracted from the dolphins is used as bait for the large-size gharua species of fish which gets attracted towards this oil. It has been learnt that this extracted oil is widely used in Bihar also. Hence, saving dolphins has always been a huge challenge.

There are reports that nine dolphins — including a few juveniles — were recently fished out of river Gangadhar.

The 'Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research' (C-NES) has been spearheading the 'Save the Dolphin' campaign in Assam.

A source in the Forest department informed that in order to break the myth, the C-NES has been providing the fishermen an alternative to dolphin oil for fishing. During 2005 to 2007, the organisation sent four fishermen from the district to Patna Science College to learn the procedure of fishing without using the dolphin oil. "The alternative oil is very effective. Members of C-NES have been campaigning among fishermen to adopt the alternative oil while fishing and thus save the dolphin," said a Forest officer in Dhubri.

Talking to The Sentinel, Bachhan Bin and Sukaram Bin of the Binpatty area of Dhubri town said that fishermen in the district used the oil supplied by C-NES long back; but now they do not have that oil.

Of late, fishermen in Bihar have been using extracts from viscera of various species of fishes as an alternative to the dolphin oil.

A source close to the 'Save Dolphin' campaign informed that the alternative oil was developed by scientist and conservationist Prof. RK Sinha and his team in Patna University. Prof. Sinha has carried out extensive researches on freshwater dolphins. He is also a member of the 'Cetacean Specialist Group' of the 'International Union for Conservation of Nature' (IUCN).

According to a survey done in 2006, there were around 270 dolphins in the Brahmaputra at that time and its tributaries; but now easy spotting of the dolphin indicates that its population has increased. However, if timely steps are not taken by the Forest department, the dolphin population would again decline in the near future, feel nature activists of Dhubri.

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