At least 99 fishermen were arrested in Bangladesh, and four cases were lodged in the last five days for defying a ban imposed on netting hilsa, said a press release of Barishal river police on Monday.
Inspector Abu Taher of Barishal river police said that 85.23 lakh metres of illegal fishing nets worth Tk 5.10 core were seized and gutted and 290 kg fish worth Tk 1.45 lakh were seized and distributed among the destitute and 9 fishing boats were also seized for defying the 22-day ban imposed against netting hilsas starting from October 14.
14 fishermen were arrested under four regular cases lodged in this connection and rest 85 fishermen were sentenced to different terms by mobile courts operated in this connection, said the river police official.
Kafiluddin, regional superintendent of Barishal river police, said that members of the river police deployed under 15 river police stations of the region operating drives to monitor the imposed anti-fishing restrictions round the clock.
Fishing directorate started the total ban against fishing on open water sources from October 14 to November 4.
The fishing directorate slapped the 22-day fishing ban not only against netting hilsa, but also on netting, marketing, sales and transportation of all kinds of fish in different regions of the country, said Bimal Chandra Das, Barishal district fishery officer.
This total fishing ban valid in 7,000 square kilometers of hilsa breeding grounds in 26 coastal districts and river estuaries to avoid complicacy, said the fishery officials Anisur Rahman Talukdar, deputy director of fishing directorate and divisional fishery officer Barishal.
The ban was imposed to ensure safe spawning as well as proper breeding environment for the mother hilsas to boost hilsa resources in the country.
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