Due to strict monitoring, management and practical steps of the government, large Hilsa fish are seen in the rivers and at sea. Getting 2 kg Hilsa is not a rarity anymore. Reportedly, the height of water in rivers has risen and large numbers of Hilsa are coming to the rivers from the sea.
Fishermen have said that during the months of September, Hilsa will continue to be available in the rivers. Since moratorium on Hilsa catching is enforced, the fish got the chance to become bigger.
Sources at the fisheries and livestock ministry say that the ministry of fisheries impose a 22 or 23 days moratorium during spawning, the second ban comes between Nov 1 of one year to Jun 30 the next to allow fries to become bigger and the third one is for 65 days at the Bay of Bengal, from May 20 till Jul 23, when all fishing is prohibited at the Bay of Bengal.
During this period, Hilsa catching trawlers cannot go out into the sea. During spawning period, ban is imposed in the six Hilsa sanctuaries of the country.
To enforce this ban, mobile courts are operated and the sea is patrolled by the Coast Guards.
At this time, food rations are given to listed fishermen from the ministry of disaster management and relief.
In the last three years, the government gave a total of 7,914 tonnes of rice to 395,709 families, with 20 kg rice given to each family.
During the ‘Fries preservation week-2019’, the VGF assistance was raised to 40 kg rice per fisherman family. In total, 39,788 tonnes of rice were allocated to 248,674 families.
During October, Hilsa fish come to the sea to release eggs and the moratorium during this time may be raised from 7 to 14 and then to 23 days.
This year, the ban on catching Hilsa will be from 9 October till 31 October. State minister for livestock and fisheries Ashraf Ali Khasru, said: “We are trying to implement all government efforts to preserve Hilsa and this has given us bigger fish in the market.”