Finance
Hilsa Hilsa fishing ban lifted as breeding season ends
Dhaka, November 5: After 22 days, the ban on hilsa fishing has been lifted since 12 am on Thursday. As a result, hilsa will be available in the market from November 5.
The government has banned the catching, selling, transporting, stocking and marketing of hilsa from October 14 to November 4 as the main breeding season for the conservation of mother hilsa.
The Protection and Conservation Fish Act of 1950 prohibits the catching of hilsa at a certain time during the main breeding season of hilsa every year.
According to the Protection and Conservation Fees Rules, 1985, violation of the ban is punishable by a minimum of one year to a maximum of two years rigorous imprisonment or a fine of up to Tk 5,000 or both. If one commits the same crime a second time, the punishment will be doubled.
Many fishermen have been jailed and fined for violating the ban. Illegal nets have been seized. Fish ghats, fish warehouses and markets have been raided across the country during the ban.
A team led by an Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock works to coordinate and supervise all the concerned agencies including Administration, Police, RAB, Naval Police, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard.
On the other hand, the campaign is being carried out properly in coordination with the administration and district and upazila fisheries officers in the 36 districts involved in hilsa, whether hilsa fish is being bought, sold or stored and transported in the hat-bazaar and whether the ice factory is closed in the area. For inspection and supervision, 22 officials of the ministry were given the responsibility of different districts.
On the other hand, eight metropolitan monitoring teams consisting of the Department of Fisheries are working to conduct daily surveillance and operations at the fish landing centers, warehouses, markets, supershops and potential hilsa fish catch areas of Dhaka metropolis and, if necessary, mobile courts.
