Fishermen Return to Hilsa Fishing as 22-Day Ban Ends

Following a 22-day government ban, fishermen in Patuakhali are set to resume fishing in rivers and the sea starting Thursday at midnight. Fishermen across all fish landing centers in the sub-district, including the major fishing ports of Mohipur and Alipur, are making final preparations for their upcoming sea voyages on the last day of the restriction.

An on-the-spot inspection revealed a flurry of activity, with fishermen busy repairing and cleaning trawlers, loading nets, and getting essential supplies aboard. However, several fishermen expressed frustration, alleging that genuine fishermen were deprived of government food assistance during the ban period and highlighting ongoing concerns over foreign fishing vessels encroaching on Bangladeshi waters.

Meanwhile, to ensure compliance during the restriction period, the Fisheries Department conducted 484 operations and 125 mobile court drives across the district’s rivers and sea, resulting in jail sentences for 148 fishermen, 167 legal cases, fines totaling 3,11,000 BDT, and the seizure of nearly 2 million meters of illegal fishing nets.

Kalapara Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Md. Zahirunnabi expressed optimism, stating that fishermen are expected to catch abundant hilsa once they deploy their nets in the deep sea. It is worth noting that the government imposed a total ban on all types of fishing, including hilsa, in rivers and the sea from October 8 to October 29 to ensure undisturbed breeding of mother hilsa.