The government is going to impose a 22-day ban on fishing hilsa from tomorrow. Catching, selling, and transporting of the fish will remain prohibited to protect the mother fish and ensure safe spawning during its peak breeding season.
The ban will remain in place till October 28, said Iftekhar Hossain, public relations officer of the fisheries and livestock ministry. He added that SM Rezaul Karim, minister of fisheries and livestock, will inform the public in detail about the restriction at a press briefing today at the Secretariat.
According to the ministry, hilsa production jumped from 3 lakh metric tonnes in 2008-09 to 5 lakh metric tonnes in 2017-18, and it went up to 5.33 lakh metric tonnes in 2019 thanks to the various steps taken by the government to give a boost to its output. Bangladesh’s over 12 percent of fish production comes from hilsa, posting the highest contribution to the country’s fish output as a single fish species.
Hilsa, the national fish of Bangladesh, is recognised as a certified patented product of Bangladesh. The marine fish make their way to rivers in Bangladesh to lay eggs. This fish is very popular both in Bangladesh and West Bengal. About 75 percent of the world’s hilsa is netted in Bangladesh. Chandpur district is considered one of the largest trading hubs for hilsa in Bangladesh as the fish from the Padma River is much more popular than those from other rivers because of its distinct taste.