Hilsa production growth rate declining

Despite an upward trend in the overall catch, year-on-year growth rate of hilsa production has been declining in recent years. The reasons include illegal netting of brood and jatka hilsa, widespread use of banned gillnet and the impact of climate change such as erratic rainfalls.

In 2021, the country lost more than 58,000 tonnes of mature hilsa due to illegal jatka netting alone. On the other hand, use of gillnet at river estuaries acts as the biggest impediment for brood hilsa to come from sea and lay eggs in rivers, according to Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI).

To increase fish production, the government bans netting of hilsa and other endangered fish species twice a year. The first ban of the year lasts two months from March 1 to protect the fries to grow. The second ban starts on October 1 and lasts 22 days so that brood hilsa and other fish species can lay eggs.

Besides, the gillnet, a small-mesh net made of monofilament synthetic nylon fiber that is highly effective in catching large numbers of fish, is banned in the country since 2001 to stop indiscriminate fishing and killing of aquatic species.

However, during the ban, a section of fishermen continues to catch hilsa using gillnet taking advantage of lax monitoring by law enforcers, contributing to the dwindling growth of the very popular fish in this part of the world.

GROWTH TARGET FAILS

Bangladesh is the biggest producer of hilsa in the world. But the recent declining trend in year-on-year growth rate and the scarcity of hilsa even in June-July this year, when there should have been plenty of it, has raised some eyebrows.

The Department of Fisheries (DoF) took up a Tk 246 crore "Hilsa Development and Management Project" in 2019 to increase hilsa production.

Taking the 2018-19 fiscal year as the base, when hilsa production was 5.33 lakh tonnes, the DoF aimed to increase the annual production to 6.2 lakh tonnes, or by 16 percent in four years.

However, in three years it has achieved a 6.34 percent growth, which is less than half the target.

The year-on-year growth rate was 3.3 percent in FY 2019-20 and 2.68 percent in 2020-21. The growth rate slid further to a negligible 0.25 percent in 2021-22. The DoF is yet to release the FY 2022-23 data.

A senior scientific officer of BFRI said that in 2021 around 58,800 tonnes of hilsa was destroyed due to illegal catching of jatka.

"Assuming the unit price at Tk 1,000 per kg, the country lost around Tk 5,880 crore," he said

The BFRI found the figure after a survey at 10 landing stations, including Mahipur and Khepupara of Patuakhali, Patharghata of Barguna, and Monpura and Daulatkhan of Bhola.

He noted that brood hilsa trying to enter rivers from sea to lay eggs also find it hard to escape the 3,000 to 4,000-feet long gillnet that fishermen lay one after another, leaving a gap of 100-200 yards.

"Such obstacles prevent many brood hilsa from ever getting a chance to lay eggs in their lifecycle. And it is one of the main reasons behind low catch of big hilsa in the river," Alam said.

He also blamed less rainfall and navigability problems for the low catch.

LAX MONITORING

People involved with hilsa business pointed fingers at a section of law enforcers. They said no government measures would be fruitful as long as the protectors keep working like predators.

"In exchange for bribes, some dishonest police officers allow fishermen to use gillnets and catch fish during the ban period," said Manik Mia Dewan, general secretary of Bangladesh Awami Matsyajibi League's unit in Chandpur, one of the largest hilsa hubs.

A fisherman in Chandpur, employed as a guard against illegal fishing during bans, alleged that river police collect Tk 30,000 to Tk 50,000 from each boat to catch fish during the ban.

"River police also take bribes to allow fisherman to use banned gillnet round the year," said the guard who has been fishing for over 20 years.

Moksed, another fisherman-cum-guard in Patuakhali, said some unscrupulous fishermen use gillnet to catch jatka and other small fish in small rivers and canals from late afternoon till dawn to avoid arrest.

"I prepared two boats in the last two years and incurred a loss of about Tk 6-7 lakh. This year, I have prepared only one boat to avoid further loss," said Manik, a fisherman since 1982.

Preferring to be unnamed, a senior upazila fisheries officer of Chandpur said they were aware of the illegal activities.

"It is often discussed in the district coordination meetings. We're told that actions are taken against the persons responsible. But it continues nevertheless," he said.

Tofazzel Hossain, Assistant Superintendent of Police of River Police of Chandpur, said they take departmental actions whenever they receive allegations against their officers.

ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS SCHEME

To protect brood hilsa and jatka during the ban periods, the DoF created alternative employment opportunities for 30,000 affected fishermen families and distributed 10,000 authorised nets across the country.

Some fishermen are appointed as guards for a monthly pay of Tk 10,000 to monitor illegal fishing and inform local fisheries offices. They also motivate fellow fishermen not to catch fish during the ban period.

Others got cows to raise and remain productive during the ban period to make up for their loss.

Zia Haider Chaudhury, Project Director of the Hilsa Development and Management Project, admitted their slow progress, but attributed it to slow release of funds.

"We would be able to spend 50 percent of the budget by the end of the project tenure. We're looking to extend the project tenure by one year," he said.