Article: Poor rivers

Saturday May 23, 2009

Stories by AZNIR MALEK

Rivers sustain more than fish, they sustain life.

If you listen carefully, you can hear our rivers crying . . ."

Those are the words emblazoned on the bunting by the gentle stream. Strewn below it are black dustbin bags filled with rubbish.

The garbage that was collected at day's end

A group of tired but cheery volunteers lounge on the grassy bank, chatting away, their shirts and pants soggy with sweat. Bottles of mineral water and isotonic drinks are passed round to quench down their thirst.

They are members and friends of the Kelah Association of Malaysia (or Kagum, for short), a bunch of ordinary folk trying to make a difference by reviving and conserving the rivers and fish. The kelah, a beautiful but endangered fish, serves as the symbol of their cause.

Kagum is a small group, and they do not have political power, but they do what they can. As they say, "Every little bit helps".

Yes, our rivers are in dire need of help. Rivers which once served as highways and source of water for drinking, cleaning and bathing have become the dumping place of agricultural, industrial and household waste. In short, we are turning our rivers into mega drains.

What is sad is that rivers hold great potential as tourism destinations — a potential tapped in the developed nations, and even our neighbours, Sumatra and Indo-China.

When the rivers are clean, you find beautiful creatures like the kelah living there, and it makes you glad.

Why are our rivers dying? The causes are diverse. The uncontrolled clearing of land, coupled with the heavy rainfall, has resulted in severe siltation. The deep pools and runs get covered in mud. Rivers with deep pools and stony runs thus become shallow, silty and featureless.

Fish stocks deteriorate. Their eggs are enveloped in silt and thus do not hatch. Heavy rains result in severe flooding since the rivers now have reduced capacities.

Chemicals from agricultural fertilisers and insecticides also find their way into the rivers. Further downstream, untreated effluents from factories and household sewage enter the waterways, adding to the pollution.

The end result is evident. Rubbish is strewn on the banks and floats in the water. What was once clear water is now turbid and muddy. And the people no longer stop for a cool dip or picnic by the grassy banks.

What a refreshing sight! — KAGUM & AZNIR MALEK

If we are to revive our rivers, we need to manage the above issues, and it requires the cooperation of various parties: the political masters, the government agencies, NGOs and the public at large. Awareness and understanding of the issues need to be reinforced in order to get the commitment.

But first, we need to understand the river itself — its functions, needs and behaviour.

Where are the fish?

Rivers play an essential role in our lives. They provide us with water for our daily use. Since we demand clean, uncontaminated water, it follows that we need to keep the rivers clean, too!

We use the rivers for recreational activities: bathing, picnics, water sports, fishing etc. If we want them to be conducive for these uses, we must take care of the rivers. You wouldn't want to use a river filled with rubbish on the banks and oil slicks in the stream, would you?

The health of a river depends very much on diversity of the flora and fauna in its vicinity. The forested land adjacent to the river (called the river basin) provides food for the aquatic species in the form of fruits, insects and worms. Thus, bankside vegetation needs to be kept intact.

Many insects lay their eggs in the river, and these turn into nymphs which are later eaten by the crustaceans and fishes.

The health of a river can be gauged by the health of its fish stocks. Right now, the situation is alarming. On record, we have about 380 species of freshwater fish in the country. However, the last scientific study made in 1983 found only 126 species. There will be less than 80 indigenous species left if we don't do something quickly.

Most of the species that have disappeared are the small ones that are sensitive to water quality and habitat deterioration. Fish like the Bada, Seluang (Rasbora spp.), Selimang, Setem, Bagoh (T-barb) and Tiger Barb are especially susceptible.

Pollution and siltation are the major causes of fish depletion. The straightening of rivers, in the name of flood mitigation, also destroy fish habitat. The slow deep pools and stony riffles are gone, replaced by a fast flowing, featureless trench, which proves uninhabitable for the fish.

Uncontrolled fishing is another factor. The main contributors are commercial and subsistence fishermen. Recreational fishermen also have an impact on fish stocks, but to a much lesser degree. Many practise catch-and-release and self-imposed bag limits.

Our beautiful rivers are our heritage and our next generations demand that we sustain them. Failure will be dire.

This article was taken from: The Star Onlne: Lifestyle: Focus 23 May 2009