Hilsa netting resumes today as an 11-day restriction on catching of the fish ended yesterday. The ban was enforced by the fisheries directorate on October 13 to ensure safe spawning as well as proper breeding environment and also to keep the mother fish free from any disturbance.
Dr. AKM Aminul Huq, divisional officer and deputy director of fisheries, claimed that the ban against netting, marketing, and transportation of hilsa across the division was carried out satisfactorily.
During the restriction period, 737 anti-hilsa netting drives took place while 490 mobile courts operated, 367 cases were lodged, 232 fishermen sentenced to jail, Tk.8,05,320 realised as fine, 34 lakh metre nets worth Tk. 20 crores and 8,000 kg hilsa seized in 6 districts of Barisal division.
Fishery officials hoped at least 1.5 crore mother-hilsa would be saved from catching during the 11-day restriction giving those chances to lay around 46,800 kilograms of eggs.
In Bhola, nearly two lakh fishermen were upbeat as the ban on hilsa netting would end today.
They were found preparing their nets and boats to go for fishing this morning, reports our correspondent.
Sources at district fisheries office said, a large number of fishermen, barring a few violators, did not go to Meghna and Tentulia rivers during the ban period.
According to them, 97 fishermen were awarded one year jail as they found netting illegally in the 90 kilometers of Meghna and 100 kilometers of Tentulia river till 3.00pm yesterday.
They also realised a fine of Tk 4 lakh 29 thousand from the violators and seized 3 lakh 77 thousand fishing nets, 36 fishing boats and 22 thousand and 5 hundred hilsa during the ban period.
In Barguna, at least 50 fishermen of Pakkhidia area under Pathorghata upazila were jailed for hilsa fishing in the Bay defying the ban.
Law enforcers arrested them on Tuesday night and sent them to the court yesterday noon.
In Munshiganj, coastguards yesterday seized illegal about 2 lakh metres current nets worth Tk 3crore and set them afire.
-With The Daily Star input
