Questions have been raised about the government decision over imposing ban on hilsa netting for 22 days, from October 12 to November 3, while country’s markets are already flooded with spawned fishes.
Experts have opined that the timing of ban fixed by Department of Fisheries [DoF] is not proper. Because, hundreds of tones of spawned hilsa would be caught by the fishermen in the next few days before the banning time comes into effect, they said.
Blaming non-professional attitude of DoF, the experts also have raised question as to why the ‘banning time’ was not set a few days earlier.
“It is yet not confirmed whether the hilsa fishes breed in highest quantity in this 22 days banning period. It needs more scientific research to know the accurate time of hilsa breeding. The officials concerned must know the exact time when the hilsa start coming to the rivers. And such programme [imposing ban] must be fixed taking the above matters under consideration,” Saidur Rahman Chowdhury, Professor of Institute of Marine Science and Fisheries, Chittagong University said.
He said: “We think, there should be an extensive research to know the river-water condition, whether the rivers are ready to receive hilsa. Side by side, it must be known how many days are actually needed to preserve the fishes while the maintenance of government marked sanctuary for hilsa is also hesitant.”
The decision of imposing ban on hilsa netting in around 7,000 square kilometres area of rivers in 27 districts for 22 days was taken by the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry on Sunday in presence of Minister Sayedul Hoque. At the same time, the restriction was also imposed in the river estuaries along with the entire coastal belt.
Turning down the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry’s theory, the experts have said that the production of hilsa spawn increased 1.5 lakh kilograms in last six years. Besides, the production of ‘matured’ hilsa fishes has also increased over 1 lakh metric tons. The total production of hilsa is expected to cross 4.5 lakh tons this year. It’s a record production in last 18 years. So, the banning period must be fixed more cautiously.
Against this backdrop, Director General of DoF Syed Arif Azad told The New Nation on Monday: “In our country, the spawning hilsa fishes are always available throughout the year. But it depends on maturity of the spawn. We haven’t taken the decision [of ban] all in a sudden.”
“The experts of our department had examined peak time of breeding and fixed the timeframe keeping similarity with lunar cycle. At the same time, we’ve also obtained indigenous knowledge after random discussions with fishermen. So, we think the time is perfect,” the DG said.
It is to be noted that, the country is now celebrating ‘hilsa festival’ with quadruple production of hilsa in context with previous years’ production. In fact, the ‘national fish’ is now dominating the country’s economy. In normal season, the turnover in hilsa business is around Tk 7,000 crore. But this year, the hilsa business may touch the figure of Tk 30, 000 crore, sources said.
Eminent hilsa researcher Dr. Md Niamul Naser, told The New Nation on Monday: “The breeding time of hilsa is usually fixed on some supportive matters, such the fishes start coming to rivers for breeding in the full moon. This year, the scenario is slightly different. There was flood in the upstream with increasing of water flow in the rivers….But it needs more scientific research to know the accurate breeding time. Hope, we will get the real picture through trial and error method. “
Do you think the excessive flow of hilsa this year is an impact of el-Nino? Dr. Md Niamul Naser, who is also Professor of Zoology Department at Dhaka University, said: “In fact, there is also no research on el-Nino impact in the Bay of Bengal till the date. Yes, the hilsa fishes have come this year a little bit earlier than usual time.”
“If the ‘flood of hilsa’ is an impact of el-Nino, then why not other fishes are coming from the sea? …We believe, the nation is now getting result of conservation and restriction on fishing in the breeding season….. Stop netting jatka…let the fishes grown up. It takes about 1.5 – 2 years to get a one kilogram hilsa fish,” he said.
Meanwhile, the government is going to make an addition to the existing list of five sanctuaries for hilsa. “We are now preparing GPS [global positioning system] map for the sixth sanctuary. After completion of it, we will send formal proposal to the government,” DG of DoF Syed Arif Azad said.
The sixth sanctuary for hilsa would be located in three tributaries of the Meghna River, somewhere between Hijla and Mehendiganj in Barisal district, according to officials.
