Bangladesh bans fishing in Sundarbans for 3 months
Tourists also barred from 1 June to 31 August, says official
The forest department has announced a three-month ban on tourism and fishing in the Sundarbans from 1 June, reports news agency UNB.
“These three months are the breeding season for most of the species of fish and hence the imposition of the ban in accordance with the Integrated Resources Management Plan (IRMP),” said Md Belayet Hossain, divisional forest officer (DFO-east) of the Sundarbans.
“The forest department has already stopped issuing entry permits to implement the ban, and vigil in the mangrove forest will also be increased,” he added.
Usually the ban remains in force from 1 July to 31 August. “But this year we are imposing the ban a month before in coordination with the Ministry of Fisheries,” the DFO said.
“This ban will help in the breeding and preservation of fish,” he added.
There are 210 species of whitefish, 24 species of shrimp, 14 species of crabs, 43 species of Mollusca and a species of lobster in the 6,017 sq km Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans.