Fishermen set to resume fishing Hilsa

Fishermen started preparation for netting hilsa as the 22-day ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting of the fish will end after midnight on Monday (October 24).

Thousands of trawlers will set out to hunt Hilsa in the deep sea at 12 o’clock at night. Therefore, trawler owners, fish traders and fishermen of Mahipur and Alipur, the big fishing ports of Patuakhali, are busy to take preparation for the last time.

The government announced to stop fishing in rivers and seas from October 4 for unhindered breeding of mother Hilsa. During this ban, transportation, stockpiling, buying and selling of Hilsa is prohibited. Fishermen are happy with the timely decision of the Fisheries Department to increase fish production every year. However, at the time of unemployment, only 20 kg of rice was given to the fishermen. The fishermen did not get that at the desired time. Therefore, the fishermen demanded to increase the incentive during the ban.

Karim Munshi, a boatman of the FB Ma-Babar Doa trawler, said, “We did not fish in the sea to protect mother Hilsa.  We hope Hilsa will be caught in flocks after the ban ends.”

Another boatman, Rahman Mia, said, “I got rice at the end of the ban and just 20 kg. It helps nothing to my family members. I request the government to increase the rice during the next embargo.”

Ansar Uddin Mollah, president of Kuakata Alipur Fisheries Cooperative Society, said, “Fishermen have been suffering for 22 long days. However, we did not go fishing in violation of the ban. The days of suffering of fishermen are coming to an end. They are preparing to fish. Work is underway to repair nets, boats and engines.”

Patuakhali District Fisheries Officer Emdadullah said the Hilsa protection campaign has been 100% successful this year. This will achieve the target of Hilsa production. The rice allotted during the 22-day ban has been distributed among the fishermen. Fishermen will be able to go fishing in the sea and river from mid-night on Monday.