A nationwide "Mother Hilsa Conservation Drive" is under way, run by the Department of Fisheries to protect mother hilsa and ensure sustainable catches in the main hilsa breeding season. The special 22-day drive, from 4 to 25 October, covers coastal rivers, estuaries and the sea in 178 upazilas of 38 districts.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock gave the figures in a press release on Thursday 16 October.

During the period, divisional, district and upazila administrations, the Department of Fisheries and law enforcement agencies are working together to run mobile courts, seize banned nets and hilsa, impose fines and take legal action.

By Thursday, 5,085 drives and 1,175 mobile courts had led to 1,301 cases. For breaking the law, 1,047 people were given prison terms of various lengths, and Tk 42 lakh was collected in fines.

In addition, 428 lakh metres of net and 57.1 tonnes of hilsa were seized. The seized hilsa was distributed to orphanages. The banned nets were burned, and boats and other gear were auctioned, bringing Tk 31 lakh into the government treasury.

As every year, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has allocated 15,503 tonnes of VGF rice, at 25 kg each, to 6,20,140 fishermen in 165 upazilas of 38 districts during the ban. The rice has already been distributed.

During the drive, nine people were injured in Mehendiganj, Hijla and Bhedarganj upazilas, including an assistant commissioner (land), two Department of Fisheries officials, a river police sub-inspector and three constables. The army, navy and air force are taking part in the drive under "In Aid to Civil Power".

Drives have been carried out with army support in Chattogram city and in Companiganj, Raipur, Hijla, Shibchar and Sreenagar upazilas. Warships and maritime patrol aircraft are keeping round-the-clock watch in the deep sea to stop illegal entry by local and foreign boats.

So far three operations have also been run using Bangladesh Air Force helicopters to watch the rivers of the hilsa districts from the air. The drive will continue until 25 October.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.