Bangladesh Coast Guard is keeping up strict surveillance and drives at sea, along the coast and on rivers to protect brood hilsa during the breeding season of the national fish.
Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-Ul-Haque gave the information on Tuesday, 7 October.
He said that since its founding the Coast Guard has played an important role in protecting fisheries resources as well as the security of the country's sea, coastal and riverine areas. The force is continuing strict surveillance and drives to stop the catching of jatka (young hilsa), protect brood hilsa and enforce fishing bans.
Siam-Ul-Haque said fishing by some artisanal trawling boats has recently been destroying marine biodiversity, disrupting breeding and upsetting the balance of the ecosystem. Repeated drives against these illegal trawling boats have greatly reduced their use, and he hoped this would increase the abundance of fish in the sea and rivers in future.
Ban from 4 to 25 October
He said that during the main hilsa breeding season, under the Fish Protection and Conservation Act, 1950, catching, transporting, storing, marketing, buying and selling hilsa is banned nationwide for 22 days, from 4 to 25 October.
To enforce the restriction, the Coast Guard is patrolling 24 hours a day. It has also stepped up intelligence surveillance on rivers and the coast and is raising awareness among fishermen through loudspeaker announcements, leaflets and meetings.
Regular drives against lawbreakers are being carried out in coordination with the district administration, the fisheries department, the Navy, police and other agencies, the officer said.
"We believe today's conservation is tomorrow's abundance," he said. "Let us all help the Coast Guard protect brood hilsa so that the blue economy grows stronger."
Immediate help is available in the coastal and sea areas by calling the Coast Guard emergency number, 16111. Lieutenant Commander Siam-Ul-Haque added that Coast Guard patrols to protect brood hilsa will continue round the clock.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
Comments
(0)