Hilsa netting going on flouting ban
Friday, 14 November 2008
Our Correspondent
MADARIPUR, Nov 13: A large number of fishermen are still catching hilsa fish from the rivers Padma and Arial Khan defying official ban.
A seven-month ban on the fishing of hilsa fry in all the hilsa resourceful regions of the country began on November 1.
However, visiting the local markets and fishing areas, this correspondent found that although the government had imposed a ban on the catching and sale of hilsa fry, it was not being enforced effectively and most of the people were unaware of the ban.
The Directorate of Fisheries has been blamed for not taking any step to make the people aware about the government decision. Moslem, a fisherman who was catching fish in the river Arial Khan, said he did not know about the ban.
Sources at the district fisheries department said they were unable to take action against hilsa fry catchers due to lack of manpower and logistic support and loopholes in the concerned laws.
A source in the department said a coordination meeting between the directorate officials, law enforcing agencies and the administration would be held to prepare the guidelines to save hilsa fry.
About 4 hundred thousands people are directly involved in hilsa fishing in about 100 rivers and 0.2 million are engaged in marketing and transport of the fish in 145 upazilas of the hilsa producing southern region including Madaripur, the sources said.
The rivers Padma, Arial Kha, Kirtonkhola, Tentulia, Andharmanik, Paira, Ramnabad and Agunmukha and their tributaries are abound with hilsa.
If only 10 to 20 per cent of hilsa fry was saved, hilsa production would increase worth billions of taka per year, said the fishing directorate sources.
MADARIPUR, Nov 13: A large number of fishermen are still catching hilsa fish from the rivers Padma and Arial Khan defying official ban.
A seven-month ban on the fishing of hilsa fry in all the hilsa resourceful regions of the country began on November 1.
However, visiting the local markets and fishing areas, this correspondent found that although the government had imposed a ban on the catching and sale of hilsa fry, it was not being enforced effectively and most of the people were unaware of the ban.
The Directorate of Fisheries has been blamed for not taking any step to make the people aware about the government decision. Moslem, a fisherman who was catching fish in the river Arial Khan, said he did not know about the ban.
Sources at the district fisheries department said they were unable to take action against hilsa fry catchers due to lack of manpower and logistic support and loopholes in the concerned laws.
A source in the department said a coordination meeting between the directorate officials, law enforcing agencies and the administration would be held to prepare the guidelines to save hilsa fry.
About 4 hundred thousands people are directly involved in hilsa fishing in about 100 rivers and 0.2 million are engaged in marketing and transport of the fish in 145 upazilas of the hilsa producing southern region including Madaripur, the sources said.
The rivers Padma, Arial Kha, Kirtonkhola, Tentulia, Andharmanik, Paira, Ramnabad and Agunmukha and their tributaries are abound with hilsa.
If only 10 to 20 per cent of hilsa fry was saved, hilsa production would increase worth billions of taka per year, said the fishing directorate sources.