RU researcher working to reschedule hilsa ban period

RAJSHAHI, Nov 04: Rajshahi University Fisheries Department teacher Prof Dr Md Yeamin Hossain, who was named recently as the top researcher of the university since its establishment by SCOPUS, is working to reschedule the Hilsa ban period in synchronisation with the actual breeding season of the fish species.
The rescheduled ban period will help boost hilsa production in the country significantly, the researcher expects.
Hilsa has the highest contribution in the country's fish production as the single fish species.
The government enforces ban on hilsa catching every year in its peak breeding season to protect hilsa stocks.
The peak breeding season generally takes place during the months from September to November.
During this time, juvenile hilsas travel to rivers from the sea to breed.
But, in the past few years mother hilsas have been found in rivers even after the end of the ban period.
Prof Yeamin is working to solve this problem under a project funded by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI).
In this project, he is endeavouring to scientifically determine the actual breeding period of Hilsa and to reschedule the ban period in accordance with it.
He said, "Like many other fishes, hilsa follows the lunar cycle in breeding. The government fixes the ban period based on the timing of the full moon. This year a 22-day ban period was declared starting from October 14.
But, the juvenile hilsas have entered the Meghna and Padma rivers after 17 and 19 October respectively. It is likely that mother hilsas will be found in the rivers even a week after the ban period ends. This is happening for a few years due to the incorrect scheduling of the ban period. Because of this, we are not being able to avail full benefits from the ban period."
"We are collecting data for four years to accurately determine the breeding season of hilsa and to reschedule the ban period. We hope to conclude the research in June next year", he added.
It is worth-mentioning that hilsa accounts for more than 12.09 per cent of the country's fish production.
In 2019-20, hilsa production was 0.53 million tonnes in the country.

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