Barishal markets flooded with jatka

Kitchen markets across Barishal division have recently been flooded with jatka (hilsa fry of length less than 10 inches).

The fisheries department complained that the upazila administrations across the division have not been conducting enough drives against catching and sale of jatka.

It is a punishable offence to catch jatka during its eight-month conservation period from November to June.

Visiting different kitchen markets in Bhola and Barishal yesterday, including Barishal Port Road Market and Bhola Sadar Upazila Fish Market, this correspondent saw jatka is being sold in large amounts for Tk 270-350 per kilo.

According to Divisional Fisheries Office, 700-1000 maunds of hilsa are being sold daily in hundreds of markets across Barishal. However, visiting the markets, it was found that the quantity of hilsa being sold daily is between 3,000-4,000 maunds, with least 80 percent being jatka.

"There are very few fish in the river now and most of those are jatkas as the hilsa spawning season ended recently. What can we do if jatkas get entangled in our nets?" said Alauddin, a fisherman in Paranganj Bazar of Bhola Sadar upazila.

Bimal Chandra Das, fisheries officer in Barishal, said, "Our drives against jatka fishing are continuing. Even yesterday, we seized and burnt nets in Babuganj area."

Nripendra Nath Biswas, divisional deputy director of fisheries department, said, "Each upazila has a committee through which the drives are being conducted. But we are not getting the magistrate and police personnel timely. As the upazila administration is unable to cooperate with us, we cannot conduct drives properly."

"What can we do alone if the upazila administration does not cooperate?" he said.