A section of fishermen in southern region are still catching hilsa fry in different rivers, defying an eight-month ban, despite drives against the illegal fishing.
Local sources said a large number of fishermen are catching fish with the banned finely woven nets in the Kirtankhola, Meghna and Arial Khan rivers.
According to the Fisheries Department, anyone found guilty of catching hilsa during the eight months would be punished with up to two years in jail or a fine of Tk5,000, but fishermen hardly care about the penalty.
The Fisheries Department and the Coast Guard seized 220 maunds of “jatka” (hilsa fry less than 10 inches or 26 centimetres in length) and 20 lakh metres of net yesterday.
Bimal Chandra Das, district fisheries officer (hilsa), said the personnel from the Fisheries Department and Coast Guard had raided different trawlers and a launch named MV Dhanshiri, which runs on the Borhanuddin-Barisal route from Beltala to Shaheber Hut areas in the Kirtankhola river and seized 20 maunds of hilsa fry.
Officer-in-Charge of Mehendiganj police station said a Coast Guard team operating drives at different points of Meghna and Arialkha rivers from 7am to 2pm about 20 lakh metres of net worth about Tk11 crore.
Coast Guard Mehendiganj contingent's Lt Commander Mohiuddin said operating drives at Mehendiganj river port and surrounding areas as well as searching Dhaka-bound launches, MV Tipu and MV Farzana, they had seized 200 maunds of jatka in the early hours of yesterday.
All of the seized jatka was later distributed among different orphanages in the city.
However, none was arrested, fined or convicted in this connection as people involved with the illegal activities managed to flee the scene.
The action was taken for violating eight-month countrywide ban enforced from November 1 to June 30 instead of November 1 to May 31 against netting, transportation and marketing jatka, said AKM Aminul Islam, deputy director and divisional fisheries officer said.
The ban was imposed aiming to boost hilsa production by ensuring safe spawning and protecting mother hilsas.
If only 10-20% of the jatka could get the chance to reach maturity, then around 2 lakh tonnes of hilsa worth hundreds of crores of taka could be earned every year, said Bankim Chandra Mandal, assistant director Barisal divisional fishery office.
