Many fishers in Barishal are netting hilsa fish despite the ongoing ban on sea fishing. They are catching the fish at night to escape drives by the authorities concerned. The Department of Fisheries has enforced the 65-day ban on netting hilsa until July 23 to protect the mother fish till spawning. Amid the ongoing lockdown, when many bread earners are suffering income loss and, like in last year, inadequate cash support to low-income communities makes many people starve. The ban without alternative livelihood support is inappropriate.
The fishermen said they have no other option but to net fish in order to survive amid the pandemic and lockdown as the government food support they receive is not enough. Each of the around 3.63 lakh fishers is supposed to get 40kg rice per month in compensation. Meanwhile, as the lockdown has brought down the demand for fish in Barishal, hilsa caught from rivers and the sea are being sent to different markets of the country, including those of Dhaka. One-kg size fish is being sold for Tk, 27,000 per maund.
The ban on fishing was aimed at booming fish production. The ban is not new and proved a fruitful step to increase fish stock. However, when the fisher communities are starving their survival becomes the top priority. The government must provide adequate alternative livelihood support to the fisher communities first and make the community people aware before executing the ban. The fishing ban and adequate livelihood support to the fishers should be brought under a comprehensive plan of action to execute it properly.
