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22-day ban on hilsa fishing from Oct 7


Published : 15 Sep 2022 09:25 PM | Updated : 15 Sep 2022 09:25 PM

A 22-day ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting of hilsa will begin from October 7 in a bid to save mother hilsa during its peak breeding period. The ban will continue till October 25.

The decision came following a National Task Force Committee on Hilsa Resource Development meeting held at the Department of Fisheries (DoF) conference room in the capital on Thursday with Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim in the chair.

A press release signed by Md Iftekher Hossain, public relations officer of the ministry, said it on Thursday.

The government imposes a fishing ban during the breeding season of hilsa every year to prevent fishermen from catching egg-bearing fishes and save the fish population.

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

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

Hilsa has the highest contribution in the country's fish production as the single fish species. Campaigns for preservation of the mother hilsas will also be conducted during the period.

The government will distribute food aid under Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme to the fishermen who will abstain from fishing during this time, said the release.

Talking about the restrictions, the fisheries and livestock minister said, “The government will take strict actions against those involved in violation of the embargo. The drive will be continued during day and night.”

About the benefit of the embargo, the minister said such a huge quantity of hilsa was not produced in past, adding that now the fish is available everywhere in the country.  “People can easily get the fish and the hilsha is also being exported,” he added.