Assessing Status of Utilization of Agrochemicals in Fish Farming: A Study from Rural Bangladesh

The current study was piloted to assess the status of utilization of agrochemicals in fish farming by the farmers in Trishal upazila (sub-district), Mymensingh District, Bangladesh. Data were collected for a period of five months during January to May 2019 through individual interviews from a sample of 80 fish farmers. Descriptive statistics: percentage, mean and standard deviation were used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that most severe fish diseases in the study area are epizootic ulcerative syndrome in Pangus (Pangasianolan hypophthalmus), Thai koi (Anabas testudineus), Shing (Heteropneustes fossilis), and black spot in Sarpunti (Barbodes sarana). To eliminate diseases in fish farming, 21 agrochemicals were employed (2 water quality management chemicals, 3 disinfectants, 3 antibiotics, 4 growth promoters, 3 oxygen suppliers, 2 gas reducers, and 4 disease treatment chemicals). The Department of Fisheries (DOF) and other relevant organizations should take proper attempts to enhance fish farmers’ knowledge and capability in disease diagnosis and agrochemicals application for profitable fish farming.