A section of unscrupulous fishermen are catching small fry with prohibited nets in the rivers near the Sundarbans.
Mongla upazila senior fisheries officer Ferdous Ansari admitted that the prohibited nets are being used to catch the fry.
“If somebody uses these nets, we slap Tk 5,000 fine or give him one year jail sentence. If a fisherman does the same thing second time, then he will get two-year jail sentence.”
East Sundarbans Range Officer Kamrul Islam told the Bangla Tribune, “It is illegal to catch fish fry with 11 types of prohibitive nets in the Sundarbans.”
When asked why they are not taking action against the traders who sell such nets, he said, “That is the job of Fisheries Department. But, we take action if anybody comes to Sundarbans with such nets.”
Over 100 prohibitive nets were confiscated and eight fishermen were sent to jail in the last six months, he said.
During the breeding season several thousand fishermen are catching fish fry, which seriously hampering fish production.