22-day Hilsa fishing ban from Oct 8 to ensure safe spawning

The government imposed a 22-day ban on catching, transporting, storing, buying and selling Hilsa from midnight on October 8 to October 29 to protect mother Hilsa and ensure safe spawning.

The restriction will remain in force across the country during the period. Transportation, storage, marketing, buying, selling and exchange of Hilsa will also be prohibited.

The decision was taken at a recent meeting of the National Taskforce Committee on Hilsa Resource Development held at the conference room of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and the Ministry of Agriculture.

The government will provide Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) assistance to registered fishermen who refrain from fishing during the ban.

As the restriction approaches, fishermen have started returning from the deep sea to fishing landing centres, while many have brought their boats and nets ashore.

In Chandpur, the 22-day fishing ban will cover a 70-kilometre stretch of the Padma-Meghna rivers to protect the country’s national fish resource during the Hilsa breeding season.

During visits to fishing communities in Chandpur from Wednesday morning to noon, many fishermen were seen preparing for the fishing halt. The areas visited included Anandabazar in Tarpur Chandi Union of Sadar upazila, Tilabari on Jamuna Road, Ranagowal and Dokanghar in Puran Bazar, Ramdasdi and Baharia in Laxmipur Model Union, and the fishing village near Harina ferry terminal in Hanarchar Union.

At Anandabazar and Baharia Bazar, fishermen were pulling their boats ashore and repairing them. Fishermen in Ramdasdi were mending damaged nets, while boat repair workers were working on several vessels near Harina ferry terminal.

Abul Kalam, 54, a fisherman from Anandabazar, said he had caught little Hilsa in the river this season.

“I have already brought my boat ashore. I will put it back into the river after 22 days, depending on the availability of Hilsa,” he said.

Khaleq Gazi, 52, a fisherman from Ramdasdi, said the government conducts the annual operation to protect mother Hilsa, but enforcement sometimes falls short because of inadequate planning.

“Patrolling should also be arranged in the canals connected to the Meghna so that unscrupulous fishermen cannot catch mother Hilsa,” he said.

Fish trader Idris Ali of Baharia said traders were ready to cooperate with the administration and police to ensure safe spawning of Hilsa.

Veteran fish trader Sirajul Islam Sayed of Harina fish landing centre said the ban should begin at the river mouth near the sea before reaching the sanctuary areas, as many mother Hilsa are caught there and later sent to markets.

Chandpur Sadar Upazila Fisheries Officer Mirza Omar Faruk said several coordination meetings had been held to ensure enforcement of the ban.

“Awareness campaigns are being conducted in the Meghna coastal areas to warn fishermen against catching mother Hilsa,” he said.

Chandpur District Fisheries Officer Md Fakhrul Islam said district and upazila task forces would conduct regular drives in the sanctuary areas within Chandpur’s river boundaries during the breeding season.

“Anyone violating the law by entering the river for fishing will be brought under legal action,” he said.

He added that 41,000 registered fishermen instructed to refrain from fishing during the ban had already received 25 kilograms of rice each as government assistance.