The government put a ban on catching, transporting and hoarding of hilsa fish for 11 days from October 13 to October 23 across the country to boost its production through protection of mother fish. The government has also decided to curtail the vacation of the fisheries department officials during the hilsa ban period to make the countrywide programme a success, officials said.
Fisheries department officials along with law enforcing agencies including police, coastguard and local administration would watch, patrol and carry out drives, especially along the riverside and coastal areas on October 13-23, the peak hilsa breeding period, they said.
Fisheries and livestock minister Abdul Latif Biswas is scheduled to hold a press conference at 3pm on Sunday (October 13) at the fisheries department about the government ban on hilsa fish.
According to department of fisheries, hilsa production has increased from 3.47 lakh tonnes in the fiscal year 2011-12 to 4 lakh tonnes in fiscal year 2012-13. At least five lakh fishermen directly and some 25 lakh people indirectly depend on fishing hilsa in Bangladesh.
Nasiruddin Md. Humayun, director (marine) at the department of fisheries, told New Age on Thursday that the main objective of the restriction period was to save mother hilsa that usually lay eggs during the period.
The ban is aimed at boosting the growth of hilsa production, he said, adding that such ban on catching, transporting and hoarding hilsa during the breeding period is routinely observed by the fisheries department.
Fisheries officials said that in Bangladesh, hilsa was available almost throughout the year in the major rivers.
Hilsa starts spawning while migrating to upstream during the monsoon and their eggs are deposited in fresh water. Their hatching takes place within 23 to 26 hours at an average temperature of 23º Celsius, they said.
The larvae and juveniles make their way downstream to the sea during a period of 5-6 months, the officials said, adding that fries of hilsa fishes feed and grow on the way.
In about 6-10 weeks the fries grow to about 12-20 cm and become known as Jatka.
At this stage, they start migration to the sea for further growth and maturity. After growing for one year in the sea, hilsa becomes mature and undertake their spawning migration towards inland rivers, thus continuing the cycle.
Meanwhile, leaders of Matshajibi Upajati and Hatodaridra Unnayan Society, an organisation of fishermen, at a press conference asked all concerned to stop catching mother hilsa during the period between October 13 and October 23 to help increase fish production.
They urged the government to take stern action against the violators of the rules.
-With New Age input
