Fishing ban may raise hilsa output

Almost all mother hilsas spawned eggs during the 22-day fishing ban as the period was extended by a week this year, said experts.

Most of the hilsas caught since the expiry of the ban on Wednesday did not have eggs. 

Chief Scientific Officer Anisur Rahman at Chandpur Fisheries Research Institute said the fishing ban was imposed for 15 days in previous years.

“This year's extended ban has been fully successful in saving mother hilsas,” said Anisur Rahman.

Last year, the production of hilsa was 3,87,000 tonnes, but it soared to about 5 lakh tonnes this year.

Visiting Dokanghar area in Chandpur Sadar upazila on Thursday, our correspondent found that fishermen resumed fishing in the Padma and sold their catch with renewed enthusiasm. There were no eggs in hilsas piled up at the wholesale market. 

A trader carries hilsa at Karwan Bazar wholesale fish market in the capital. The government had banned hilsa fishing from October 12 to November 2 to protect mother hilsas and increase fish production. The photos were taken yesterday. Photo: Alam Palash, Anisur Rahman

Mizanur Rahman said he along with his fellow fisherman refrained from going to the river during the ban. But he alleged that they received only 16 kg rice each from the government during the period although they were supposed to get 20 kg.

The government should provide fishermen with cash incentives alongside rice, he added.

Md Safi Dewan, a member of Ibrahimpur Union Parishad, said they formed a 15-memebr committee to keep a vigil on fishermen if they violated the ban. The committee did not allow a single boat to go to the river for fishing.

Chandpur Fisheries Officer Shafiqur Rahman said a huge amount of mother hilsas was netted during the same period in the previous years, but this year it came down to nearly zero.

The task force, Bangladesh Coast Guard and River Police conducted 145 drives and 134 mobile courts in Chandpur from October 12 to November 2.  During the period, 61 fishermen were detained for violating the ban. Some 7.5 lakh metre gill nets, 11 boats and 297 kg hilsa were seized during the drives. The mobile courts handed down jail terms to 36 fishermen, fined 25 others Tk 87,000 and filed 61 cases in this connection.

Chandpur Deputy Commissioner Abdus Sabur Mondal said fishermen and common people abided by the ban as the administration created awareness.  He said people would get its benefit in future.