Fishing with a current net from a crop field

A man is seen knee-deep in water fishing on one side of a green paddy field in rural Bengal. At first glance, it may seem like a pleasant scene, but a closer look reveals an uncomfortable truth – the man is using an extremely fine net, or what is known as a 'current net', to catch fish. This type of net is a kind of invisible and deadly trap that threatens aquatic life. Not only fish, but also other aquatic animals, birds and beneficial insects can get caught in this type of fine net and die.

These wetlands associated with paddy fields are naturally home to a variety of small fish and other biodiversity. The uncontrolled use of current nets can lead to the gradual destruction of this sensitive ecosystem. Small fish, eggs and fry get caught in these nets, which hinders the future reproduction process of the fish. As a result, in the long term, there is a strong threat of reducing overall fish production and disrupting the balance of the aquatic ecosystem. It is important to take immediate effective steps to stop this harmful trend. It is necessary to bring illegal users of current under punishment through public awareness raising, regular monitoring by local administration and law enforcement. In the interest of protecting aquatic resources and sustaining the ecosystem in the long term, we all need to be vigilant and speak out against such anti-environmental activities.