22-Day Ban on Hilsa Catching Begins Sunday

A 22-day ban is starting on Sunday midnight (October 3) to ensure uninterrupted breeding of hilsa. The ban will remain in force till October 25 for the conservation of mother hilsa and safe breeding of hilsa.

Hilsa fishing has been banned for several years. During this time fishing, selling, marketing, stocking and transportation are prohibited. There are provisions for fines and imprisonment for violating the ban.

Although the blockade was imposed from October 14 to November 4 last year, due to natural causes, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has set October 4 as the start date of the ban.

According to the Fisheries Department, fishermen will get 20 kg of rice during the 22-day ban. 3 lakh 7 thousand 124 fishermen will get this assistance in 6 districts of Barisal division. Of these, 51,700 will be in Barisal district, 17,700 in Pirojpur, 63,800 in Patuakhali, 1,32,000 in Bhola, 37,074 in Barguna and 3,850 in Jhalokati. In the meantime, 6,942 metric tons of rice has been allocated.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Task Force Committee on Hilsha Resource Development chaired by Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sham Rezaul Karim at Matsya Bhaban in the capital on September 22.

At the meeting, the minister said, "Fishing is banned and campaigns are conducted in the interest of fishermen." The harder it is to protect the country's fisheries, the harder it will be. '

According to the Fisheries Department, fishing in the rivers and seas of the country is stopped for a total of 22 days every year before and after the full moon of Ashwin to increase the breeding of hilsa in the Bay of Bengal and rivers. 

Jatka protection program was started in Bangladesh from 2003-04. Since then, the production of hilsa has been gradually increasing. According to the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, about 12 percent of the country's total fish production comes from hilsa.