11-day Ban on Hilsa Catching
2.45 tonnes of fish seized
11 detained
At least 11 people were detained and around 2.45 tonnes of hilsa fish, and nets worth Tk 26.85 lakh were seized across the country in separate drives yesterday, the first day of an 11-day ban on catching, marketing, selling and transporting hilsa. Forty six mobile courts carried out the drives in 18 fish landing stations, 92 ports and 238 wholesale and 155 retail markets, said the Department of Fisheries at a press conference at its office in the capital.
The detainees were sentenced to one year imprisonment each and ten cases were filed, said department sources.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdul Latif Biswas urged people not to buy or consume hilsa during the ban.
The fisheries department imposed the ban to ensure safe spawning and protect mother fish.
The ban is mostly on netting hilsa in the 7,000 sq km of breeding ground in seven coastal districts.
The restriction aims at saving about 1.5 crore mother hilsa and ensuring safe environment for laying about 46,800kg of eggs.
According to fishermen, in the time between five days before and after the full moon in the Bangla month Ashwin, mother hilsa begin their journey towards the coast, estuaries and rivers to lay eggs.
Fisheries officials hope that if 50 percent of the eggs survive, 29.93 crore hilsa pollen will be produced and if 10 percent of the pollens are saved, it would make about 2.93 crore fry.
Around 5 lakh people are directly involved in catching hilsa, while 25 lakh transport, sell, export and preserve the fish and produce ice, boats and nets, said the department officials.
-With The Daily Star input
