'Jatka' catching on defying 7-month ban
Coastguards seize five trawlers with fry
Jatka (hilsa fry) catching goes on in different rivers of Barisal and Barguna despite raids by the law enforcers.
Coastguards seized 50 maunds of jatka from five trawlers in the Bishkhali River in Patharghata upazila in the last two days.
Rafiqul Islam, Commander of Patharghata Coastguard camp, said they conducted drives in Sonatala and Nishanbari coastal areas and seized hilsa fry from trawlers FB Kali, FB Belayet, FB Bhai Bhai, FB Babuganj and FB Majibur.
No one was arrested during the drives as fishermen fled the scenes sensing the presence of the coastguards, reports UNB.
The government imposed a ban on catching jatka less than nine inches in length for seven months from November to increase hilsa production. But the fishermen are catching hilsa fry defying the ban.
Officer-in-charge of Patharhata Police Sation said the seized 'jatka' was later sold for Tk 2.39 lakh at an auction in presence of the local fisheries officials
According to a correspondent from Barisal, the fisherman are catching hilsa fry in the rivers along the coast and selling those in different markets.
Several fishermen said since they have no other means to survive, they are fishing hilsa despite a ban.
"We have lost everything in cyclones Sidr and Aila. If we cannot catch fish, we will die of survive," said Joynal Mia, a fisherman of Hizla upazila, who has been using current net in the Meghna for the last 10 years.
Fisheries officials said Tk 50 lakh has been allocated for distribution among the fishermen.
District Fisheries officer Monower Hossain said poor fishermen are going to be addressed and everyone will get one to two thousand taka.
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