Coastal fishermen gearing up as two-month fishing ban ends tonight
Coastal fishermen in Barishal and Bhola are preparing their boats and nets in the rivers today as the two-month ban on fishing will end at midnight.
The restriction started on March 1 and today is the last day of the ban. During the period, the fishermen could not catch fish in five major hilsa sanctuaries of different rivers including the Padma, Meghna, Kalabadar and Bishkhali.
Barishal Divisional Fisheries Officer Nripendranath Biswas said the target of fish production can be exceeded this time since the authorities concerned conducted a strong campaign and raids during the ban period.
He also said hilsa production can reach 5.8 lakh tonnes, against a target of 5.71 lakh tonnes, and it is possible due to the operations.
According to the Barishal Divisional Fisheries Office, 818 operations were conducted and 12.44 tonnes of jatka (hilsa fish less than 23 centimetres in length) were seized from March 1 to April 15. During this time, 5,93,679 cases were filed and fines of Tk 8.23 lakh were imposed.
Alauddin Mia, a fisherman and a villager on the Meghna river bank in Bhola, said that during the ban period he had to borrow some money from several people to buy things from different grocery shops.
Akbar Majhi, a resident of Chandramohan village under Barishal Sadar upazila, said he had taken a loan of Tk 5,000 in the last two months to run his family of five.
Nadira Rahman, chairman of Tungibaria union of Barisal Sadar upazila, said one-third of the fishermen have not yet received the fisherman card, and that half of them have not received any rice aid yet.
Israil Pandit, Barishal divisional president of Small Fishermen Association, said although there are 4.21 lakh registered fishermen in the division, there are many who have not been yet registered.
He demanded that all fishermen get the card and 100 kilogramme of rice every month during the ban period.
Comments