Patuakhali:An eight-month ban on catching juvenile Hilsa, locally known as jatka, will take effect in the rivers and coastal waters of Patuakhali starting at midnight. The initiative aims to enhance Hilsa production and safeguard juvenile fish.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the ban will prohibit the catching, buying, selling, transporting, exchanging, and storing of jatka measuring less than 10 inches from November 1 to June 30 of the following year. District Fisheries Officer Bijon Kumar Nandi confirmed this information, noting that violators could face one to two years of rigorous imprisonment, a fine of up to Taka 5 lakh, or both.
To ensure adherence to the restriction, joint operations will be carried out in coordination with the district administration, Department of Fisheries, Coast Guard, and Naval Police. During the ban period, the District Fisheries Department will provide 79,000 registered fishermen in the district with 40 kilograms of rice per month for four months under the government's Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme.
The Fisheries Department emphasized that protecting juvenile Hilsa is crucial for increasing overall Hilsa production, which plays an essential role in safeguarding the livelihoods of fishermen and preserving the country's fisheries resources in the long term.