Hilsa catches surge as fishing resumes in coastal waters

Fishermen across the country’s coastal districts are experiencing encouraging hilsa catches as fishing activities resumed following the end of the government’s 22-day ban to protect mother hilsa during the breeding season.

Shamraj Fish Landing Centre in Charfashion, the largest fishing port in coastal Bhola, has regained its usual vibrancy with large quantities of hilsa arriving at wholesale markets after overnight fishing expeditions.

A visit to the landing centre today (30 October) found fishermen and traders busy selling and buying hilsa, while the port, which had remained largely inactive during the ban, was bustling with activity.

The government enforced the 22-day fishing ban from 8 October to protect mother hilsa during their breeding season. Immediately after the restriction ended, fishermen returned to rivers and the sea after midnight on 29 October.

Local fishermen Sahabuddin Majhi, Rakibul Islam, Main Uddin Majhi and Bashir Majhi told BSS that they had cast their nets throughout the night and caught a satisfactory quantity of hilsa. However, they noted that many of the fish still contained eggs.

Mohammad Tarek Aziz Patwary, president of the Shamraj Fish Landing Centre Wholesalers’ Association, said the initial catches were encouraging, although a considerable number of hilsa still had eggs.

He observed that mother hilsa could have had a better opportunity to complete spawning if the fishing ban had started in mid-October.

Director of the Department of Fisheries in Barishal Division Kamrul Hasan said the division’s six coastal districts had 425,009 registered fishermen, including 146,029 sea-going fishermen.

More than 100,000 additional fishermen are estimated to be unregistered, according to relevant official sources. Consequently, nearly 500,000 fishermen have reportedly returned to rivers and the sea to catch hilsa following the lifting of the ban.

Coastal fishermen are hopeful of securing adequate catches this season and earning more than in previous years.

Bhola District Fisheries Officer Mohammad Delwar Hossain told BSS this morning that effective enforcement of the 22-day ban had given mother hilsa an opportunity to lay eggs safely, which would contribute significantly to increasing hilsa production.

He said Bhola produced 179,300 metric tonnes of hilsa last year, adding that production in the district was expected to rise further this year.

During the ban, the Bhola fisheries department, in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, conducted 297 anti-fishing drives to prevent the catching of mother hilsa. 

A total of 80 people were sentenced to imprisonment, while fines amounting to around Tk 450,000 were imposed. Authorities also seized around 2.63 metric tonnes of hilsa and 99.2 million metres of fishing nets.

Fishermen in the district are also returning to their livelihoods after a prolonged wait. The Alipur and Mohipur fish landing centres have regained their activity as fishermen bring in expected catches of hilsa, increasing fish supplies and reviving business at the ports.

Meanwhile, around 54,000 fishermen in coastal Lakshmipur district have resumed fishing in the Meghna River, according to local fishermen and fisheries officials.

The rivers surrounding Dhalchar and Manpura in Bhola, Moulavir Char in Noakhali, Kalir Char near Sandwip and the estuarine areas of Chandpur are recognised as the country’s major hilsa breeding grounds.

According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, the government distributed 16,192.25 tonnes of rice among fishermen during the 22-day ban. Under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme, each of 647,690 fishing families in 38 districts received 25 kilogrammes of rice.

Meanwhile, an eight-month nationwide ban on catching jatka, or juvenile hilsa measuring up to 25 centimetres, will come into effect on November 1 and continue until June 30, 2027.

During this period, catching, selling, storing and transporting jatka will remain prohibited. The restriction, however, will not apply to larger hilsa or other fish.

According to the Department of Fisheries, a programme to protect jatka (juvenile hilsa) was introduced in 2003-04, following which hilsa production began to increase.

Building on that experience, the government introduced an 11-day fishing ban in 2008 to protect mother hilsa during the period surrounding the full moon of Ashwin.

Later, authorities found that hilsa also release eggs during the new moon. Consequently, the government introduced a 22-day fishing ban in 2011, covering both lunar phases to provide better protection during the breeding season.