Poverty forces southern fishermen to catch 'jatka'
Monday, 18 January 2010
BARISAL, Jan 16 (UNB): Poverty and unemployment are pushing poor fishermen in the southern coastal districts to catch 'jatka' (hilsa fries less than nine inches long) defying government ban.
Fisheries department sources said that hilsa production could be increased by around 0.2 million (2 lakh) metric tonnes in the country every year if only 10 per cent to 20 per cent of 'jatka' could be saved from catching.
The government imposed ban on catching 'jatka' for seven months from November 1 to May 31 to increase hilsa production.
Visiting different hilsa fishing areas, it was found that hundreds of poor fishermen are catching hilsa fry with the banned current nets in the Kirtonkhola, Meghna, Arialkha, Paira, Ramnabad, Biskhali, Andharmanik, Tetulia, Kacha, Baleswar and Agunmukha rivers.
Moslem, who depends only on fishing to feed his six-member family, is found catching 'jatka' on the river Kirtonkhola Friday despite the prohibition.
Protesting the ban on catching 'jatka' he said, "We would starve if we cannot catch fish as we borrow money from the village moneylenders on condition of giving them a large portion of the fish we catch."
If they cannot get fair price of the hilsa they would have to face difficulties in repaying the loan money.
Moslem also said that a magistrate seized his fishing net and boat, belonging to his moneylender, and also fined him Tk 500 during a raid on the river last year.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Coast Guards and the department of fisheries with the help of local administration have been carrying out raids everyday in the water bodies seizing 'jatka' and current nets and destroying or burning those to enforce the ban.
Leaders of local fishermen's organisation regretted that compensation given by the government to fishermen for not catching 'jatka; was quite insignificant.
They said without creating alternative employment opportunities, the ban on catching jatka would not be successful.
Fisheries department sources said that hilsa production could be increased by around 0.2 million (2 lakh) metric tonnes in the country every year if only 10 per cent to 20 per cent of 'jatka' could be saved from catching.
The government imposed ban on catching 'jatka' for seven months from November 1 to May 31 to increase hilsa production.
Visiting different hilsa fishing areas, it was found that hundreds of poor fishermen are catching hilsa fry with the banned current nets in the Kirtonkhola, Meghna, Arialkha, Paira, Ramnabad, Biskhali, Andharmanik, Tetulia, Kacha, Baleswar and Agunmukha rivers.
Moslem, who depends only on fishing to feed his six-member family, is found catching 'jatka' on the river Kirtonkhola Friday despite the prohibition.
Protesting the ban on catching 'jatka' he said, "We would starve if we cannot catch fish as we borrow money from the village moneylenders on condition of giving them a large portion of the fish we catch."
If they cannot get fair price of the hilsa they would have to face difficulties in repaying the loan money.
Moslem also said that a magistrate seized his fishing net and boat, belonging to his moneylender, and also fined him Tk 500 during a raid on the river last year.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Coast Guards and the department of fisheries with the help of local administration have been carrying out raids everyday in the water bodies seizing 'jatka' and current nets and destroying or burning those to enforce the ban.
Leaders of local fishermen's organisation regretted that compensation given by the government to fishermen for not catching 'jatka; was quite insignificant.
They said without creating alternative employment opportunities, the ban on catching jatka would not be successful.