Jatka sold openly in Barisal wholesale market
The Port Road wholesale fish market in Barisal city has become flooded with jatka (hilsa measuring less than 10 inches long) despite a government ban on catching and selling of the small fish all year around.
During a visit to the market, which is also the largest fish landing station of Barisal division, it was seen that huge amounts of jatka were being sold openly. Most of the hilsa in the market were as little as 7 to 8 inches long, and the supplies mainly came from Bhola district, particularly its Char Fasson, Lalmohan, and Manpura upazilas.
Bimol Chandra Das, district fisheries officer (DFO), said there is a permanent ban on catching and selling jatka, while the government bans the fishing of all types of hilsa for eight months (November to June).
“At this time of the year, it is not easy for fishermen to get hilsa. So, they use the illegal current net (mesh size lower than 4.5 centimetres). As a result, jatka get caught in huge numbers,” he said.
Asked about the initiatives to spot the illegal fishing and selling, he said it is the duty of law enforcement agencies to conduct drives against jatka sale.
Usually, the fisheries department and the district administration conduct the drives with the help of law enforcers, but the law enforcement agencies also act on their own.
Jalil Mia, a fisherman from Bhola who came with his catch in the market, said, “When we fish, some jatka get caught. And if they do, we have no other option except for selling them.”
This correspondent found at least seven to eight traders at the market who were selling jatka as small as 6 to 9 inches long, for Tk 200 to Tk 400 every four pieces or Tk 600 a kg.
Wishing anonymity, a seller said, “What should I do? I am a fish trader. I would not sell jatka if there were no supplies of it.”
Nirob Hossain Tutul, president of Port Road Matsya Arotdar Samity, said, “We warned fish traders against selling jatka but its catching has to be stopped in the first place.”
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