The Hilsa conservation programme of the government has helped increase production of the most delicious fish in the country but fishermen are yet to get any benefit from it, a study revealed Saturday.
Ban on Hilsa fishing for three months during its spawning and growing (Jatka period) periods has helped boost output of the national fish. But it has forced 37 per cent of the Hilsa fishermen to take loans for bare survival to buy foods and maintain their families, the study conducted by the PPRC, a local think-tank, said.
The Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) report titled 'Sustainable Hilsa Conservation: Findings from PPRC' disclosed this at a national level consultation.
The consultation styled 'Exploring Conservation Livelihood Win-Wins: PPRC Research Findings on Hilsa Fishermen' was held at the Daily Star Azimur Rahman Conference Hall in the city organised by the PPRC jointly with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The research showed that the government's present compensation is not enough for the fishermen community.
It advocated linking of the Hilsa fishermen to the country's Bangladesh National Social Protection Strategy which is going to be formulated by the government very soon.
The study was conducted over 300 fishermen families in five districts including Barisal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Chandpur and Laxmipur to find out their condition during Hilsa-ban periods.
Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, executive chairman of the PPRC and adviser to the last caretaker government, presented the focal points of the research. These showed that during the banning periods, 27 per cent of Hilsa fishermen take risk and catch fish to manage food for their families.
The report also said that the ban forces 6 per cent of the fishermen community to reduce the volume of their food intake.
It found that only 4 per cent of the fishermen come under alternative income generating activities (AIGA) during the periods where the rate of success is very low as most of the fishermen are not interested in other professions.
The PPRC research, however, recognised the government's VGF programme under which 40 kg of rice is given to a fisherman for two months.
"But they need additional help for buying other commodities, besides rice," it suggested.
The research also recommended formation of a Hilsa conservation fund for sustainable support to incentive-based conservation and building Hilsa brand potential for global market.
It suggested that the fund could be mobilised by considering 1 per cent tax on Hilsa export.
The research showed that the country's Hilsa production was only 0.199 million tonnes in FY'03 while fishermen caught 0.3 million tonnes of Hilsa worth Tk160 billion in FY'13.
Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, who presided over the programme, said the Hilsa sector needs a triple power strategy including the government fisheries organisations, scientists and fishermen groups to boost output and trade.
"By taking time-befitting plan of actions and implementing those, we can bring 'irreversible change' among the fishing communities as well as in the fish sector," he said.
He pointed out that in doing so, we should not be defensive but to be ambitious.
Responding to a question on Hilsa export, he said we should also seek whether the concerned people get benefits of Hilsa conservation programmes.
Director General of the Department of Fisheries (DoF) Syed Arif Azad, Prof Dr Md Abdul Wahab of the Bangladesh Agricultural University, senior scientific officer of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) Anisur Rahman, former director general of DoF Dr Liaquat Ali, director of World Fish Dr Craig A Meisner, FAO country representative Mike Robson, Matshajibi Upojati and Hatodaridra Unnayan Society (MUHUS) chairman Md Abu Bakkar Siddique, former vice president of the Bangladesh frozen Food Exporters Association (BFFEA) Mahmudul Hasan spoke, among others.
IUCN project manager Bushra Nishat delivered the address of welcome.
Fisherman Yonus Farazi from Kolapara, Patuakhali said the VGF programme of the government has helped to some extent but it should be increased.
He said the fishermen should be provided with life jackets to protect their lives.
Some of the fishermen also recognised a government initiative to give compensation of Tk50,000 per family of a fisherman who is killed in a natural calamity.
Exporters' representative Mahmudul Hasan said the PPRC research may help government lift export ban on Hilsa.
However, the government banned export of the silver fish in 2012 following its skyrocketing prices in the country.
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