Hilsa Catching
11-day ban starts today
The fisheries department from today has imposed an 11-day ban on catching, marketing, selling and transportation of hilsa fish across the country to ensure safe spawning and protect mother fish.
It also urged the people not to buy or consume hilsa during this period.
The restriction aims at saving at least 1.5 crore mother hilsa and ensuring safe environment for laying around 46,800 kilograms of eggs.
AKM Aminul Huq, deputy director of Barisal division fishery directorate, said, “The ban is effective not only on netting hilsa in 7,000 square-kilometre of hilsa breeding ground of seven coastal districts, but also on marketing, selling and transportation of the fish across the country.”
To make the ban successful, the divisional fisheries directorate has already carried out massive campaigns, including running advertisements in the media, using posters and banners, and holding discussions with fishermen and the authorities concerned.
District and upazila administration, the navy, coastguards and law enforcers have been asked to monitor that the restriction is being followed accordingly and to take actions against the violators.
Mobile courts will also operate in rivers and at market places to ensure that no offender can get away with defying the restriction.
As per the fishery ordinance, anyone violating the ban for the first time can be penalised Tk 1,000 as fine with one to six months’ imprisonment. The punishment gets double for the second-time offenders, said fishery office sources.
Apart from the seasonal ban, there is a year-round restriction on netting jatka (Hilsa fry less than 9 inches or 23 centimetres in length).
According to fishermen, the movement of mother hilsa is connected with the lunar calendar.
They said between five days before and after the full moon in the Bangla month of Ashwin, mother hilsas begin their journey from the sea towards the coast, estuary and rivers to lay eggs.
Fishery officials hope that if 50 percent of the eggs survive, a total of 29.93 crore hilsa pollen will be produced and if 10 percent of the pollens are saved, it would make about 2.93 crore fries.
Hilsa fries grow 2-2.5 cm every month and start for the sea when they are 15-17 cm long. They make their return journey to sweet water for laying eggs after getting 25-28 cm long and weighing around 300-450 grams.
-With The Daily Star input
