The government will reduce the number of long-permitted trawlers as well as moving against illegal ones fishing in the Bay of Bengal- a move to protect the sea fish resources.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sayedul Haque said yesterday they have decided about this in a meeting with Law Minister Anisul Hque and Attorney General Mahbube Alam last week.
Secretary of the ministry Selina Afroza, high officials of the ministry and Department of Fisheries also attended the meeting, he said.
“Everything will be done to protect the marine fishes and resources of the country. The measures to dispose writ petitions of the illegal trawler owners have been taken,” said Sayedul.
There needs only 75 trawlers for fishing in the bay while around 223 trawlers out of 323 now fish there destroying the marine resources, according to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
The remainder -100 trawlers have not been in operation for so long. Besides this, Of the 223 trawlers, 89 are fishing in the Bay with the directions of the High Court but without any permission from the government, it says.
Moreover, the licenses of the trawlers that are not in operation will be cancelled. The licenses of 20/25-year-old trawlers will not be allowed any renewal or replacement, said Minister Sayedul.
A total of 148 writ petitions are pending in different courts. Of those, 32 petitions are awaiting hearing. At the same time, the government is expected to take the initiative soon for implementing nine court orders.
The appeals against 59 writ petitions are about to be heard. The officials are preparing for filing appeals against 17 orders of the courts while 31 new files have been sent to the solicitor’s office for filing appeals.
Relevant officials at the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock say they have been asked for filing appeals by June to resolve the cases. They have also been instructed to keep in touch with the solicitors’ office frequently.
Fishermen from Myanmar and Thailand also fish in the waters of Bangladesh illegally.
About this, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sayedul said, “We have asked the authorities concerned to resist illegal entrance of the foreign trawlers in the waters of country.”
