Seasonal Ban On Hilsa Catching
This year’s ban on Hilsa fishing will come to an effect on 04 October and will continue for 22 days until 25 November. All activities including harvesting, transport, stocking, marketing, sales, and bartering of Hilsa are strictly prohibited during the mentioned timeframe. Reportedly entire coastal areas including Hilsa breeding estuaries will be under the purview of the ban. The purpose of the ban is to allow brood Hilsa to lay their eggs and migrate from the Bay of Bengal to Meghna and other Hilsa breeding rivers. As a conclusive return of the consecutive seasonal bans, we already have experienced a bumper harvest and reasonable price of Hilsa in the past few years.
To ensure the best fishing practice among approximately half of a million artisanal fishers directly reliant on Hilsa and to comply with the ban as well as cope up during the non-fishing period, the concerned authorities should allocate required financial supports for their livelihood.
Wares Ali Khan
Rangpur City
