Ban on hilsa fishing ends Saturday midnight

Fishermen have taken preparation to resume fishing as two-month long ban on catching, selling, transportation and hoarding of hilsa fish is set to end Saturday midnight.

Fishermen in different districts including Chandpur are preparing their fishing nets and trawlers to start catching hilsa in the rivers after 12 am.

Netting of hilsa was restricted in five sanctuaries across the country during this period.

A festive mood is prevailing in the fishermen para as around 52,000 fishermen will resume fishing from the midnight.

Like previous years, the ban was imposed on a 70-kilometer long area from Matlab Uttar Shatnol to Haimchar Charbhairabi area in Chandpur. Some 44,035 fishermen got government aid during the period.

During a reality check at Ananda Bazar, Harina, Bahria, Laxmipur in Sadar upazila on Saturday, it was found fishermen are taking preparation to go for fishing and already they have repaired their fishing boats.

Imam Hossain Bepari, 62, a fishermen, said the movement of hilsa has declined due to hidden chars in the river.

Golam Mehedi Hasan, an officer of fisheries department, said this year, the production of hilsa may increase this year.

Earlier, a two-month government ban on hilsa catching, selling, hoarding and transporting began on March 1, with a view to boosting its production.

The ban covers hilsa sanctuaries in six districts -- Barishal, Chandpur, Laxmipur, Bhola, Shariatpur and Patuakhali .

The sanctuaries are 100km in the Meghna River from Chandpur's Shatnol to Laxmipur's Char Alexander, 90km in Shahbazpur Channel in Bhola, 100km in Tentulia River in Bhola, 20km in Naria and Bhederganj upazilas in Chandpur district and 82km in Hizla, Mehendiganj and Barishal Sadar upazilas, Gazaria and the Meghna river.

Hilsa has the highest contribution in the country's fish production as the single fish species.