NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS Vol. 23. No. 1&2.

2014

Evaluation of Fly Population Infesting Dried Fishes at Sonadia Island, Cox’s Bazar
as a prerequisite for the Practical Application of Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)
A.T.M.F. Islam1, M.H. Islam1, T. Hossain1, M. Yasmin1, M.Z.R. Majumder1, M. Begum2 and A.S.M. Saifullah1
1
Institute of Food and Radiation Biology, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, G.P.O.Box-3787, Savar, Dhaka
2
Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Abstract
Fly population infesting dried fishes at the Sonadia offshore island, Cox’s Bazar, were evaluated during October to February (Fish drying
season) of the year 2007-2008. The aim of this study was to estimate on the wild fly pests and their seasonal abundance in the target island
as part of prelease assessment prior to practical application of Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). Four Dipteran fly pests, Lucilia cuprina,
Chrysomya sp., Musca domestica and another ash colour fly species (unidentified) were recorded. Among those the blow fly Lucilia
cuprina was found as the most dominant and destructive pest in Sonadia fish drying area. Highest density of this fly population was in and
around bashas and underneath of fish drying horizontal platforms. The fly abundance was recorded during March, April and May while
southern breeze started blowing. On the other hand population declined during the months of December, January and February while
northern wind prevailed. Occurrence of fly infestation showed seasonal variation depending on availability of food source i.e. fish drying
activities.
Keywords: Estimation, fly pest, dried fish, Sonadia Island and SIT

1. Introduction production of fertilized egg and thus, gradually declining

Vast marine and fresh water fishes and other fishery target fly population. The Sonadia island has been chosen
resources play a great role on the culture and life style of as the primary target area as geographical isolation is a
the people of Bangladesh. Sun drying is a common practice prerequisite for successful application of SIT to control
in Bangladesh specifically in the remote coastal depressions blow fly, a major pest of dried fish during sun drying. Some
and offshore islands where chilling and freezing facilities investigations on blowfly have already been conducted that
are not available [1]. Most of the marine fishes are sun- prerequisite for practical application of SIT [4-8]. The
dried in different off shore islands and coastal areas of present investigation was undertaken to expedite the
Bangladesh for both local consumption and export estimation of wildfly pests and observed environmental and
purposes. A considerable amount (over 25%) of fishes and seasonal variations of major fly pest populations in the
fishery products are either damaged or quality deterioration target island as part of prelease assessment prior to practical
occur during the process of sun-drying due to fly infestation application of SIT.
in Bangladesh [2]. Sonadia, is a offshore island of the Bay
of Bengal and it is situated about 7.0 km away towards the 2. Materials and Methods
western side of the Cox’s Bazar town. Local people and The investigation was conducted at Sonadia marine fish
native inhabitants of Moheshkhali and Chokoria upozilla drying yard during October through March in 2007-2008
primarily use Sonadia for sea fish related trade including fish drying season. The estimation of fly pest population
fish drying. About 4-5 hundred people, come to Sonadia for was made from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The Sonadia marine
fish drying. A number of Dipteran flies are known to fish drying yard was divided into three main areas for
damage sea fish during the process of sun drying in this convenient to estimation of fly population i.e. (i) “basha” or
Island. The larval stage of these flies consumes a unit area where fish drying and processing activities are
considerable amount of fish while drying under sun light accomplished (ii) common passage among groups of bashas
causing both qualitative and quantitative losses. The necessary for transportation of raw/dried fish and
farmers usually dip the raw fish into insecticide solutions movement of fish driers and (iii) barren land. Each basha or
prior sun drying as a preventive measure against blowfly unit area of Sonadia fish drying yard consisting of a
infestation creating a great threat to public health, natural thatched house, fish sorting and cleaning zone, horizontal
environment which is reducing consumer’s acceptability in platform primarily use for drying smaller fish, vertical rack
both local and international market. Therefore, use for drying bigger fish and open space use for keeping
environmentally safe and effective control of flies is necessary materials and internal movement. There were 84
desirable for the production of chemical free dry fish. In basha of fish drying season in March to October 2007-2008.
this regard application of Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) Field observation and collections were made in between
against blowfly in the fish drying areas could be a better 9.00 am to 3.00 pm of every month during study period.
and safer alternative technique to chemical control method. Counting of empty pupal cage of fly pest below vertical
SIT refers to the use of radio-sterilized insects to control a racks were accomplished through sieving of unit volume of
population of certain insect species in defined areas as an sand (1 × 1 × 0.5) cubic feet. Flies and pupal cages were
environmental friendly novel technique using virtually no collected from selected areas once a month using with
insecticides [3]. The sequentially released sterile male flies handled aerial sweep nets and sieving of unit volume of
will mate with wild females of the same species restricting sand respectively. Thereafter adult flies were killed

67
NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS Vol. 23. No. 1&2. 2014

immediately by chloroform for minimizing damages of the Surrounding area of fish drying yard:
external organs and brought to the Laboratory for a. During high tide: Length = (1500 ft + 2420 ft + 1200
identification of species and estimation of fly pests. ft)/3 =1707ft
Estimation of area of Sonadia fish drying yard [9]. Breadth = (778ft + 825ft + 658ft) / 3 = 754 ft.
Total area of fish processing and drying zone =2420ft × i.e. total area of fish drying yard = 1707ft × 754ft =
(378ft + 425ft +258ft) /3=8,56,680 sq ft. 12,87,078 sq ft.
Depending on various density of fly pests, a basha or a fish So, total area outside fish drying and processing zone
processing and drying unit of total 10,000 sq. ft. area (100ft during high tide
x 100ft) could be sub divided as follows:
=12,87,078 - 8,56,680 = 4,30,398 sq ft.
a. Thatched house (30ft × 40ft) = 1200 sq. ft. i.e.12% of
unit basha b. During low tide: Length = (1600ft + 2420ft +
1300ft)/3 = 1773ft.
b. Fish sorting and cleaning zone (20ft × 50ft ) = 1000 sq.
ft. i.e.10% of unit basha Breadth = (878ft + 1025ft + 858ft) / 3 = 920ft.
c. Horizontal rack (4ft × 50ft × 10 racks) = 2000 sq. ft. i.e. total area of fish drying yard during low tide
i.e. 20% of unit basha = 1773ft × 920ft = 16,31,160 sq ft.
d. Vertical rack (4 ft × 100 ft × 2 racks) = 800 sq. ft. i.e. So, total area outside fish drying and processing zone
8% of unit basha during low tide
e. Open space: 5,000 sq. ft. i. e. 50% of unit basha = 16,31,160 – 8,56,680 = 7,74,480 sq ft
Common passage = 350ft × 8ft × 6ft = 16,800 sq. ft.

3. Results and Discussions

Table 1. Population of flies in Sonadia fish drying yard during maximum fly pest infestation period

Total area Estimated number of available adult flies

(unit area × Average population Ash colour
Site of drying yard Musca
84 basha in density per sq. ft Lucilia cuprina Chrysomya sp.
domestica Flies
sq. ft)
(unidentified)
Inside basha (12%) 1,00,786 L. cuprina- 5 5,03,930 - 10,079 -
Thatched house M. domestica- 0.1
Fish sorting and cleaning 83,988 L. cuprina- 4 3,35,952 1,67,976 33,595 -
zone (10%) Chrysomya sp.-2
M. domestica-0.4
a. Above horizontal rack 1,67,976 L. cuprina – 1 1,67,976 - 16,798 -
M. domestica- 0.1
b. Soil surface beneath
horizontal rack (20%) 1,67,976 L.cuprina-3 5,03,928 16,798
M.domestica-0.1 - -
Vertical rack (8%) 67,190 L.cuprina-5 3,35,950 - 33,595 -
M.domestica-0.5

Open space of a basha 4,19,940 L.cuprina-0.01 4,199 - - 2,100

(50%) Ash col. fly - 0.005
Common passage among 16,800 L.cuprina-0.01 168 - - 84
basha Ash col. fly - 0.005
Open space around fish 4,30,398 L.cuprina-0.003 1,291 861 2,151 430
drying zone (e.g. during Chrysomya sp.- 0.002
high tide) M.domestica-0.005
Ash col. Fly
(unidentified) - 0.001

Total 18,53,394 1,68,837 1,13,016 2,614

68
NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS Vol. 23. No. 1&2. 2014

Table 2. Population of flies in Sonadia fish drying yard during minimum fly pest infestation period
Estimated number of available fly pests
Total area Average population Ash col.
Site of drying yard Lucilia Musca
(sq. ft) density per sq. ft Chrysomya sp. Flies
cuprina domestica
(unidentified)
Thatched house (12%) 1,00,786 L.cuprina-0.5 50,393 40,314 10,079 -
Chrysomya sp.-0.4
M. domestica -0.1
Fish sorting and cleaning 83,988 L.cuprina-0.4 33,595 41,994 50,393 -
zone (10%) Chrysomya sp.-0.5
M.domestica-0.6
a. Above horizontal rack 1,67,976 L .cuprina -0.1 16,798 50,393 33,595 -
Chrysomya sp.-0.3
M.domestica-0.2
b. Soil surface beneath
horizontal rack (20%) 1,67,976 L.cuprina-0.3 50,393 67,190 33,595
Chrysomya sp. -0.4
M.domestica-0.2
Vertical rack (8%) 67,190 L.cuprina-0.4 26,876 33,595 40,314 -
Chrysomya sp.-0.5
M. domestica -0.6
Open space of a basha 4,19,940 L.cuprina-0.001 420 840 2,099 2,520
(50%) Chrysomya sp.-0.002
M.domestica-0.005
Ash col. fly - 0.006
Common passage among 16,800 L.cuprina-0.001 16 50 100 118
basha Chrysomya sp.-0.003
M.domestica-0.006
Ash col. fly - 0.007
Open space around fish 4,30,398 L.cuprina-0.001 430 860 1,722 1,291
drying zone (e.g. during Chrysomya sp.-0.002
high tide) M.domestica-0.004
Ash col. Fly
(unidentified) -0.003
Total 1,78,921 2,35,236 1,71,897 3,929

During this study period four fly species viz, Lucilia study areas. The order of fly population during high
cuprina, Chrysomya sp., Musca domestica and another ash infestation period being L. cuprina > Chrysomya sp. > M.
colour fly (unidentified) were recorded from Sonadia fish domestica > ash colour fly. However, results of the Table 2
drying yard. Among the four identified species, total revealed that the maximum (2,35,236) adults fly population
18,53,394 of L. cuprina was recorded from different was recorded for Chrysomya sp. and they occupied 39.87%
selected areas and it occupied 86.70% of total fly of total fly population in Sonadia fish drying yard. The
population in Sonadia fish drying yard. Total 1,68,837 minimum population was observed ash colour fly and they
(occupied 7.90%) of Chrysomya sp; 1,13,016 (occupied occupied only (0.67%). The order of fly population during
5.29%) of Musca domestica and 2,614 (occupied 0.12%) of study areas during low infestation period being Chrysomya
ash colour flies were recorded during high infestation sp > L. cuprina > M. domestica > ash coloured fly. It is also
period (Table 1). In contrast, the estimated fly population of mentioned from Table 1 and 2 that pest population
identified species in Sonadia commercial fish drying yard reduction become apparent primarily for decrease of L.
during low infestation period was total 1,78,921 (occupied cuprina population from 18,53,394 to 1,78,921 (90.35%) as
30.33%) of L. cuprina, 2,35,236 (39.87%) of Chrysomya total population of Chrysomaya sp., Musca domestica and
sp., 1,71,897 (29.14%) of M. domestica and 3,929 (0.67%) ash colour fly sp. even increased from 1,68,837 to 2,35,236
of ash colour fly (Table 2). Results of the Table 1 revealed (39.33%), 1,13,016 to 1,71,897 (52.10%) and 2,614 to
that highest and dominated fly pests was L. cuprina with 3,929 (50.31%) respectively during from maximum fly pest
86.70% occupied at fly communities and lowest population infestation period to minimum fly pest infestation period.
was found ash colour fly they occupied only (0.12%) in
69
NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS Vol. 23. No. 1&2. 2014

The population of L. cuprina has been dominating in 2. J.P. Coulter and J.G. Disney, The Handling, Processing
Sonadia Island with occasional prevalence of Chrysomaya and Marketing of Fish in Bangladesh, OD NRI Bulletin
sp. M. domestica was recorded as around 29.14% of total No. 1. Chattam, U.K. (1987).
fly population during low fly infestation period. M. 3. E.F. Knipling, Present Status and Future Trends of
domestica was pre-dominant in the tea stall and adjacent The SIT Approach to The Control of Arthropod Pests
areas than those of on the fish drying area. Population of (IAEA-SM-255/1), A symposium, Jointly Organized
Chrysomya sp. was occasionally increased in huge number by IAEA and FAO, Neuherberg, 3-23 (1981).
posing threat to sun dried fish in minimum infestation
period. The puparium collected through sieving of 6 inches 4. R.M. Shajahan, A.D. Bhuiya and R.N. Khan, Rearing
deep sand in 1 sq ft. area beneath the horizontal fish drying of Blow fly, Lucilia cuprina (Wied.) in Relation to
platforms also shows predominance of empty pupal cage of Sterile Insect Technique, Nucl. Sci. Appl., 3(2), 69-72
L. cuprina in Sonadia Island representing about 96.77% (1994).
population in maximum infestation period. On the other 5. S.M.S. Huda, Effect of Gamma Irradiation of The
hand, empty pupal cage counting from sieving of surface Pupation of Blowfly, Lucilia cuprina (Wied.) (Diptera:
soil also revealed occurrence of around 44.44% Chrysomya Calliphoridae), Nucl. Sci. Appl., 6(1 & 2), 27-32
sp. and 33.33% in low infestation period at Sonadia fish (1997a).
drying yard. These results suggesting that the blowfly 6. S.M.S. Huda, Influence of Gamma Irradiation on
(Lucilia cuprina) is regarded as the most dominating and Copulation Duration and Mating Propensity of Lucilia
destructive pest for fish drying yard in Sonadia. Blowfly cuprina (Wied.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in Sterile
infestation of fish during sun drying was also reported as Insect Release Method (SIRM) Programme,
main cause of damage of salted dried fish [10]. It was Bangladesh J. Life Sci., 6(1 & 2), 33-35 (1997b).
reported that around 30% of fish was infested by fly
maggots during application of traditional sun drying in 7. S.M.S. Huda, R. Rahman and R.N. Khan, An Easy
tropical countries like Bangladesh [11-13]. Technique for Handling and Sexing of Blowfly, Lucilia
cuprina (Wied.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), Bangladesh
The fly pest, L. cuprina were everywhere in the fish drying J. Life Sci., 13(1 & 2), 145-148 (1998).
area of Sonadia Island. Variation of L. cuprina and other
species densities were recorded in bashas, common 8. S.M.S. Huda, Longivity and Mating Competitiveness
passages and surrounding areas. Even, differences in fly of Irradiated and Unirradiated Wild Type Female of
population intensity were also found in the thatched house, Lucilia cuprina (Wied.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae),
fish sorting and cleaning zone, horizontal platforms, Bangladesh J. Life Sci., 12(1 & 2), 99-102 (2000).
vertical racks and open space of a basha. Highest density of 9. R.J. Mohan and D. J. Grindle, Feasibility Study of The
this fly was found in and around basha and soil surface Sterile Insect Technique in Sun Dried Fish Industry,
below fish drying horizontal platform. Progress Report of The IAEA TC project, (BGD/5/25),
Fly pests could hardly be seen in fish drying areas of pp. 4-5 (2006).
Sonadia in presence of reasonable quantity of sea fish at 10. J.R. Esser, The Effect of Salt Concentration on
various stages of sun drying. Low population incidence is Oviposition and Larval Growth and Mortality in The
desirable for fish driers requiring low or no use of costly Blowfly, Chrysomya megacephala. Indo-pacific
insecticide and reducing loss due to pest infestation. The Fishery Commission, FAO Fisheries Report. No. 401,
present study provides a gross distributional estimation of F11 U/R 401, pp. 168-179 (1988).
the fly population density and total number of different flies
11. M. Ahmed, A.D. Bhuiyan, M.S. Alam and S.M.S.
especially of L. cuprina of the fish drying yard that could be Huda, Radiation Disinfestations Studies on Sun Dried
helpful for the optimum number of sterile flies (L. cuprina)
Fish, Technical Report No. 303, IAEA, Vienna (1989).
to be sequentially released in the target areas for
suppressing/controlling fly pest by the application of sterile 12. A.D. Bhuiyan, Packaging and Storage Studies of
insect technique (SIT). Irradiated Dried Fish for Commercial Application,
Internal Report, IFRB, AERE, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
References (1990).
1. M.A. Khan and Y.S.A. Khan, Study on The 13. D.J. Walker and M. Greely, Cured Fish in Bangladesh,
Abundance and Infestation of Blow Fly During Drying Report on a Visit to Bangladesh, November 1990, on
of Fish in the Coastal Area of Bangladesh, On Line J. behalf of ODA post-harvest fisheries project, Bay of
Biol. Sci., 2(7), 499-501 (2002). Bengal programme, Madras India, R1657, pp.19
(1990).

70