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The government has imposed a 22-day ban on catching, selling, transporting, storing and marketing Hilsa to protect mother Hilsa during the breeding season.
The restriction came into effect at midnight on Wednesday and will remain in force until October 29.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Taskforce Committee on Hilsa Resource Development held recently at the conference room of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Under the decision, transportation, storage, marketing, buying, selling and exchange of Hilsa will remain prohibited across the country throughout the ban period.
The government will provide Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) assistance to fishermen who refrain from fishing during the 22-day restriction.
As the ban approached, fishermen began returning from the deep sea to landing centres, while many prepared their boats and nets for the fishing halt.
In Chandpur, the 22-day ban has begun in a 70-kilometre stretch of the Padma-Meghna rivers to ensure safe Hilsa spawning and protect the country’s national fish resource.
Many fishermen in the district have already brought their boats ashore. Some were repairing their boats, while others were mending damaged fishing nets.
District and upazila task forces have also taken preparations to enforce the restriction.
During visits to fishing communities from Wednesday morning to noon, fishermen were seen preparing for the fishing halt in several areas, including 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, most fishermen were seen pulling their boats ashore, while some were repairing them. Similar scenes were observed at Baharia Bazar. Fishermen in Ramdasdi were busy mending their nets, while boat repair workers were working on several vessels near Harina ferry terminal.
Abul Kalam, 54, a fisherman from Anandabazar, said he had not caught much 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.
Idris Ali, a fish trader from 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 fishing ban should begin at the river’s 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 already been held to ensure effective enforcement of the 22-day 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 to protect Hilsa during the breeding season.
“Anyone violating the law by entering the river for fishing will face legal action,” he added.
He said 41,000 registered fishermen who had been instructed to refrain from fishing during the ban had already received 25 kilograms of rice each as government assistance.
