Government imposes ban on Hilsha fishing from Oct 12

Fishing and selling of Hilsha has been banned between Oct 12 and Nov 2, the primary breeding season of the fish.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 2 Oct 2016, 09:27 AM
Updated : 2 Oct 2016, 09:27 AM

“Fishing Hilsha is now banned across the country, particularly in the 7000 sq km area, marked as the breeding zone.”Fisheries Minister Muhammed Sayedul Hoque told the media on Sunday.

Monitoring would be intensified at river terminals and wholesale markets to check the fishing, transportation, stocking and exchange of hilsa during this period, he said.

The ministry, navy, air force, coast guard, police, river police, RAB, BGB, district and Upazila administration and department of fisheries would carry out raids, said the minister.

Hoque claimed hilsa had been out of the reach of most people for the last 5-7 years. But tough government actions have now made it available almost everywhere.

“For the first time in 15 to 20 years, Hilsha is available everywhere today. The low income people are also buying it,” he said.

Last year, fishing Hilsha was prohibited for 15 days in the Bangla calendar month of Ashwin during their primary breeding season.

This year, the ban will begin four days ahead of the first full moon in Ashwin and continue for the next 17 days, thus spanning over 22 days.

Ministry officials told bdnews24.com that previously, a large number of egg-carrying Hilsha were netted on their way to the sea at the end of the breeding season.

The situation remained unchanged even after an extension of the ban period by up to 15 days.

According to an estimate of the Department of Fisheries, 385,000 tonnes of Hilsha was netted in 2014-15 fiscal year.

More than 400,000 tones of the popular fish breed were produced in the following fiscal year.