Thousands of fishermen are set to restart fishing Hilsa with the 22-day ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting of the national fish coming to an end Wednesday.
Earlier, the government imposed the ban on October 14 to make the breeding season interrupted-free. Not only this time, the government has been imposing the same ban since the last few years to make the breeding season remain uninterrupted to ensure availability of the national fish.
Hilsa researchers say that the main purpose of refraining from catching Hilsa at this time is to protect the mother fish so that they can safely spawn in the rivers and the Bay of Bengal. If these eggs are protected, they will turn into Jatka. If the jatka is protected, the production of large size Hilsa will increase in the country.
Meanwhile, as the ban is about to end, the fishing villages have become busy hunting for Hilsa. Rows and rows of boats and engine-driven trawlers are seen placed on the embankment along the riverbanks and seashores. Some of the fishermen were seen repairing their nets while some others were busy weaving new nets. Besides, many others were seen repairing their boats and trawlers.
Same scenarios were noticed at the fishermen villages in Patuakhali, Bhola, Khulna, Bagerhat, Chandpur, Lakshmipur, Munshiganj, Shariatpur and Madaripur districts as well as on the banks of different rivers, and coastal areas.
Fisheries Officer SM Azaharul Islam said the ban on Hilsa catching is being lifted, and it is hoped that the mother Hilsas have been able to lay their eggs safely this year.
It should be mentioned that this year, large size Hilsa fish have been sold in the market of Bangladesh at a much lower price. Relatively large size Hilsas have also been caught in rivers and seas. Earlier, a one kg size Hilsa was sold at Tk 1,500 to 2,500, this year it has been sold at Tk 700 to 900 in Bangladesh.
On the other hand, fishermen had to spend 22 days without working during the government ban. The families of the fishermen in the villages had spent these 22 days in poverty.
Besides, law-enforcers arrested several thousand fishermen, who had tried to catch fish ignoring the ban imposed by the government, seized huge quantities of fishing nets and boats and trawlers used for fishing.
Not only that, at least 13 policemen, including the additional superintendent of river police, were injured in a clash with fishermen in Meghna River in Chandpur Sadarupazila on October 25 during a drive against illegal Hilsa fishing.
