The government has imposed a two-month ban on fishing, carrying, hoarding, trading and transporting of Hilsha and Jatka (Hilsha fry) from March 1 to April 30 in the sweet water of Chandpur belt, aiming to boost fish output.
“The restricted area will cover around 100 kilometers starting from Shatnol under Matlab North Upazila up to Char Alexander of Luxmipur district via Chandpur Sadar and Haimchar upazilas of the district,” District Fisheries Officer Md Asadul Baki told UNB on Wednesday.
A total of 51,190 registered fishermen are there in Chandpur Sadar, Haimchar and Matlab North upazilas of the district, he said. To stop Jatka catching, the government announced the Chandpur to Alexander stretch of the river as sanctuary for Hilsha. Earlier in a motivational meeting, Chandpur Deputy Commissioner Md Abdus Sabur Mandal said if anybody flouts this order in the rivers shall be punished as per law. “None shall be spared whoever he may be,” he said.
In order to create massive awareness among the fishermen and people of the area, massive publicity through loudspeakers, banners, posters and series of meetings were organised in the river bank areas of the district.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, just a day before the ban period begins, locals rushed to nearby markers to buy Hilsha.
Fish traders at Chandpur Fisheries Ghat, Natun Bazar, Puran Bazar, Pal Bazar, Biponi Bagh Bazar and Wireless Bazar were selling Hilsha at a cheaper rate to clear up their stock.
Each kilogram of Hilsha (800 gram) was sold at Tk 600 and fishes less than 500 grams was sold at Tk 400 per kilogram.
25,000 meters of current nets, 200 kgs Jatka seized
Another report adds: Members of Bangladesh Coastguard in a drive seized about 25,000 meters of contraband ‘current nets’ along with 200 kilograms of jatka from the Meghna River flowing near Chandpur Sadar in the early hours of Saturday.
A team led by Coastguard Station Commander Lt. Shinchon Ahmed in collaboration with Executive Magistrate Ms Abida Sultana and an Upazila Fisheries Officer seized the nets and jatka during an anti-Jatka drive launched Saturday morning in the Meghna River.
Confirming the incident, Station Commander Shinchon said the fish were kept in cold storage for distribution later as per decision adopted in the district coordination meeting recently.
In recent years the government has imposed temporary bans on catching, selling and transporting Hilsa and other species of fish during the peak breeding period, in the Meghna covering about 100 kilometres stretching from the Shatnol area of Matlab North Upazila to Char Alexander of Laxmipur district via Chandpur Sadar and Haimchar Upazilas of Chandpur district, to support the safe breeding and spawning of hilsa fish in sweet waters – all aimed at shoring up future stocks of the prized hilsa.
