22-day ban on fishing hilsha starts tomorrow
As the 22-day ban on catching hilsha begins tomorrow, Thursday, fisheries and livestock ministry has warned of taking stern action against those who will violate the restriction during the high breeding season of the national fish.
"Mobile court will be conducted to bring those to book who will violate the ban. Law enforcers and local administrations concerned have been asked to take necessary steps so that no fish catching boats-trawlers venture into rivers and seas during the 22-day ban," said fisheries and livestock minister SM Rezaul Karim at a press conference at his secretariat office on Wednesday.
The government has imposed a ban on the catching of hilsha fishes from 12 October to 2 November on a vast area of 7,000 square kilometers along with 27 districts in the country for conservation of mother fishes during its high breeding season.
Apart from the hilsha breeding grounds, all the activities including procurement, marketing, buying, selling, transportation and hoarding of hilsha would be stopped for 22 days across the country.
During the 22-day period, a massive combined operation would be carried out at all the fisheries ghats, warehouses, hat-bazars and chain-shops across the country. The fisheries department, navy, air force, coast guard, police, river police, RAB, BGB, district and upazila administrations including the fisheries and livestock ministry will implement the ban.
The contribution of hilsha to country's total fish production is 11 per cent, the highest as the single species. A total of 500,000 people are directly involved while 2000,000-2500,000 indirectly with the catch of hilsha fish in the country.
SM Rezaul Karim said the government has already sent 872.18 tonnes of food assistance for 5,54,887 fisherman families in 155 upazilas under 37 districts.
Fisheries and livestock secretary Nahid Rashid, additional secretary Md Abdul Quayum and Department of Fisheries director general K Mahbubul Haque, among others, were present at the press conference.