Fishing and crab collecting are allowed again in the Sundarbans after a three-month ban, but many fishers in Koyra, Khulna, still cannot go into the forest. Bad weather, neap tides in the rivers, the cost of taking a boat in and fear of extortion by forest pirates stand in their way.
To protect biodiversity and fish breeding, the Forest Department closed the Sundarbans to all entry from 1 June to 31 August this year and reopened it to fishers and tourists on 1 September. During the ban many families lived on credit or looked for other work, hoping to pay off the debt with the season's catch.
Koyra fisher Siraj Sheikh said that although he got his permit after three months, a few days of rain, the neap tide and not being able to raise the extortion money kept him from going. Abdul Majid Dhali of South Bedkashi said three months without income had left him in debt to shopkeepers, and even with a permit, finding the cost of the trip is hard.
According to the Forest Department, the Khulna range of the western Sundarbans has 2,717 registered boat licence certificates (BLCs) and the Satkhira range 2,900, usually with two or three fishers per boat. Nasir Uddin, an officer at Kashiabad forest station, said his station has 884 BLCs but only 342 fishers had taken entry permits by the cut-off.
Some fishers say that besides the legal costs, the prospect of paying pirates worries them. After months without income, preparing a boat, fuel and other costs are already hard to meet, and some are not taking permits at all because of the risk and expense.
Meanwhile tourists are returning to the Sundarbans' visitor spots, and tourist boats are running again. Fishers say that without capital, fair weather and safe passage, the reopening of the forest will bring them little.
The report was filed by Krishi Shomoy's Khulna correspondent.
Photo: Fishermen in the Sundarbans, David M. / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Source: Krishi Shomoy
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