Fishermen set to resume fishing Hilsa

Fishermen have started preparation for netting Hilsa as the 22-day ban on catching, selling on Friday.

Fishermen have started preparation for netting Hilsa as the 22-day ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting of the fish ends after midnight on Friday (October 28).

Thousands of trawlers will set out to hunt Hilsa in the deep sea at 12 o’clock at night. Therefore, trawler owners, fish traders and fishermen of Mahipur and Alipur, the big fishing ports of Patuakhali, are busy to take preparation for the last time.

The government announced to stop fishing in rivers and seas from October 7 for unhindered breeding of mother Hilsa. During this ban, transportation, stockpiling, buying and selling of Hilsa is prohibited. Fishermen are happy with the timely decision of the Fisheries Department to increase fish production every year.

A fisherman named Hasan Miazi said, “We hope Hilsa will be caught in flocks after the ban ends, and we will be able to pay all loans.”

Another fisherman Salemuddin Mia, said, “I get rice just 20 kg. It helps nothing to my family members. I request the government to increase the rice during the next embargo.”

Kalapara Senior Fisheries Officer Apu Saha said, “We did not distribute rice among fishermen due to storm.  The rice will be distributed among the fishermen within one or two days.