Govt imposes 22-day ban on hilsa fishing from 12 Oct

A 22-day government ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting hilsa will come into effect from 12 October in a bid to save mother hilsa during peak breeding season, said fisheries and livestock minister SM Rezaul Karim.

The ban will continue till 2 November.

“Mother hilsa Conservation Campaign will be conducted at that time. The government will provide VGF food assistance to the fishermen who will refrain from catching hilsa during the period,” said the minister.

The minister said this at a meeting of the National Task Force Committee on Hilsa Resource Development at the conference room of the Fisheries Department at Matsya Bhaban in the capital on Wednesday.

"Hilsa is not only our national resource; it is a GI certified asset that carries our unique identity in the global arena. Hilsa production has increased breaking all previous records,” the minister said.

The objective of the restrictions on fishing is to protect the mother hilsa which lay eggs during the period.

Bangladesh’s over 12 per cent fish production comes from hilsa, posting the highest contribution to the country’s fish output as a single fish species.

Hilsa, the national fish of Bangladesh, is recognized as a certified patented product of Bangladesh. The marine fish flies to rivers in Bangladesh to lay eggs. The fish is very popular both in Bangladesh and West Bengal.

About 75 per cent of the world's hilsa is netted in Bangladesh.

Chandpur is considered one of the largest trading hubs of hilsa in Bangladesh as the fish from the Padma River is much more popular than the ones that come from other rivers because of its extremely pleasing taste.