Sharankola (Bagerhat) Correspondent
A 22-day ban on catching, selling, storing and transporting hilsa began on October 8 to ensure safe spawning and boost production.
The ban will remain in force until October 29. The Fisheries Department has taken various measures to ensure its implementation. Violators will face imprisonment and fines, while their fisher cards will be cancelled and fishing nets seized.
According to the Fisheries Department, 4,895 fishers in Shoronkhola are being provided 25kg of food-aid rice each during the ban.
Almost all fishing trawlers, except two or four, returned to Rayenda Fish Arat Ghat from the sea on Wednesday morning. The rest are expected to arrive by evening, said Mohammad Sarowar Hossain, president of the ghat committee, at noon.
The government imposed the ban to increase hilsa production as the fish move upstream to shallow waters during this period to spawn. The eggs hatch into fry, while juvenile hilsa, known as jatka, move downstream to the sea, grow and later return to rivers for spawning.
A large hilsa can lay up to 2 million eggs. Although hilsa spawn throughout the year to some extent, spawning is lowest in February-March and highest in September-October.
Experts determine the spawning season based on the gonadosomatic index (GSI) of female fish, which is the percentage ratio of egg weight to body weight. The GSI rises as eggs grow during the breeding season and reaches its peak during the main spawning season.
Lokman Khan, Mahidul and Anwar Hossain, fishers aboard the FB Tanzira trawler after returning from the Bay of Bengal, said they had suffered losses several times before but made a profit this time. They supported the ban aimed at increasing hilsa production.
Several fishers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a section of unscrupulous fishers continue to go to sea and catch fish during the ban. They urged the authorities to strengthen monitoring.
Dulal Farazi, president of the Bagerhat District Fishermen's Association, welcomed the ban but said fishers cannot fish for nearly three months because of two bans during the hilsa fishing season. Cyclones, pirate attacks and high fishing costs further increase their losses, leaving fishers and boat owners burdened with debt. Many fishers are therefore considering changing their profession.
Shoronkhola Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Anjan Biswas said public-address announcements, banners and awareness meetings were being arranged in populated areas to ensure implementation of the ban. Legal action, including imprisonment and fines, would be taken against anyone caught catching mother hilsa during the ban. #EK
