22-day hilsa fishing ban begins tomorrow

A 22-day government ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting of hilsa fish will begin from tomorrow to save mother hilsa during peak breeding season.

The government has taken various measures to ensure that mother hilsa is not harmed in any way, said Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim.

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Stern action will be taken against those who will violate the law during the mother hilsa conservation campaign, he said at a press conference on the issue at the secretariat today.

The minister said mobile courts will remain active to punish the law violators and ensure that no boat can go to the river or sea for fishing during the ban.

He also said about 52 percent of mother hilsa eggs were able to hatch within 22 days of the ban last year thanks to the successful implementation of the conservation campaign.

As a result, about 805,515 kilogramme of eggs were produced last year, out of which about 40,276 crore Jhatkas (small hilsa) were added to the hilsa population, Karim said.