Widespread Use of Antibiotics, Pesticides, and Other Aqua-Chemicals in Finfish Aquaculture in Rajshahi District of Bangladesh

Aquaculture is the fastest-growing, most dynamic, and vital food-producing sector compared to other food-producing industries. However, aquaculture production is hampered by a variety of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic diseases. Fish farmers routinely apply various types of aqua-chemicals, particularly antibiotics and pesticides, to reduce the disease burden. Antibiotics and pesticides are widely used to increase fish production around the world, including Bangladesh. Between March 2020 and February 2021, a survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews with fish farmers in the Rajshahi district, Bangladesh, to determine the current status of the use of antibiotics, pesticides, and other aqua-chemicals in the rearing of freshwater finfishes. Nine active antibiotics ingredients belonging to 11 trade names of antibiotics, various pesticides, numerous disinfectants, and aqua-chemicals were found to be used in finfish rearing. The renamycin (active ingredient: oxytetracycline) was most commonly used antibiotics by freshwater finfish farmers in the study areas. In case of pesticides, sumithion and timsen were found to be used mostly by fish farmers. In addition, four distinct probiotics were found to be used in aquaculture in the study areas. The present study revealed several issues related to the use of aqua-drugs in the study areas. For instance, the majority of fish farmers (88%) lacked knowledge in the use of aqua-chemicals and antibiotics, and 81% of fish farmers were unaware about the effective dosages of chemicals in fish farming. Thirty seven percent of fish farmers in the study areas reported the indiscriminate use of chemicals. Furthermore, a considerable proportion of fish farmers (72%) reported ignorance about the residual effects of the aqua-chemicals on the aquatic environment and human health. As a result, this preliminary study suggests that the use of antibiotics, pesticides, and other aqua-chemicals in aquaculture should be strictly monitored and controlled by the responsible authorities of Bangladesh. Moreover, further research needs to be expanded on the detection of residues from aqua-drugs and antibiotics in the aquaculture system, and their consequences on the ecosystem and human health.