<i>Jatka</i> sells openly as fishermen defy ban
Although the authorities imposed a country-wide ban on netting and sale of hilsa fry, known as jatka, for seven months from November 1, a large number of fishermen tend to defy the ban.Photo: STAR
'Jatka' (hilsa less than 23-centimetre-long) has continued selling openly here although the seven-month country-wide ban on netting, transportation and marketing of the popular fish started on Thursday. Aiming at development of hilsa resources in the country, authorities impose the ban from November 1 to May 31 every year. But hard-pressed fishermen tend to defy the ban as only one-third fishermen of the division come under the purview of the fishery department's rehabilitation package, that too only for four months from February to May. Fisheries department sources said they cannot take adequate action against jatka catchers and traders due to fund constraint, lack of manpower, loopholes in law and necessary logistic support. "We have already formed mobile vigilance teams to monitor the situation. We will operate mobile courts to prevent catching and sale of jatka," said Bankim Chandra Mandal, assistant director of Barisal divisional fisheries office. Barisal divisional fishery office sources said only 1,05,610 ultra poor and hilsa fishermen out of more than 3 lakh fishermen have been selected for February-May rehabilitation package. They will receive monthly 30 kg of VGF rice per family and will be encouraged for 'alternative employment'. On the other hand, Israil Pandit, president of Bangladesh Khudra Matsyajibi Samiti, said sanctioning monthly 30 kg of rice per family only for one-third of the fishermen, that too for four months, virtually makes the 'rehabilitation programme' a farce. Poverty and unemployment will push poor fishermen in the southern districts to continue catching jatka, despite the seven-month annual ban, he said. The fishery officials claimed that steps taken by the government for imposing and monitoring year-wise ban on using thinly knitted current nets, November-May ban on jatka catching and marketing, March-April ban on hilsa fishing in four sanctuaries and September 25-October 5 ban on any kind of fishing in seven thousand kilometre area in the southern region, now contributing to the increase of hilsa fish in the country. "Hilsa netting has doubled in last 14 years. Over 3.5 lakh tonnes of hilsa was caught this year whereas it was 1.47 lakh tonnes in 1998," said fisheries official Bankim Chandra. If around 20 percent of the jatka can get the chance to reach maturity, it would add to over two lakh tonnes of hilsa worth hundreds of cores of taka every year, said fisheries officials. A study of Fish Research Institute said the contribution of hilsa to the country's gross domestic product is two per cent and fishing sector provides about 9 to 12 per cent of the country's export earnings, he added.
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