Fishermen in the coastal areas of Taltali upazila of Barguna are rejoicing as silver hilsa began appearing in their nets following the end of a 58-day fishing ban in the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday night.
Fishermen said they caught between 10 and 20 kgs of hilsa each after casting nets near the shore.
“God has fulfilled our wishes. We hope this blessing continues for the entire season,” said fisherman Zakir Sikder.
The government had imposed the ban from April 15 to June 11 to ensure proper breeding, growth, and conservation of marine fish resources and to promote sustainable fishing.
With the restriction lifted at midnight on Wednesday, most of the 8,799 registered fishermen in Taltali returned to sea to resume fishing.
Local trader Tuku Sikder said those who cast nets near the coast returned with a good catch, while deep-sea fishermen are expected to return in two to three days.
The return of fishers with fresh hilsa has brought activity back to the Fakirhat fish landing center in Taltali.
Talking to local people, they said, the fish landing center in Taltali saw heavy traffic as trawlers carrying hilsa returned to port.
Fisherman Kabir said he sold 15 kg of medium-sized hilsa for Tk 26,250, earning Tk 70,000 per maund. “The price is good,” he added.
Fishermen Nanna and Kamal said they had caught 20 kg of hilsa. “If this continues, our struggles will ease,” they said.
Tuku Sikder, a member of the Fakirhat Fisheries Association and owner of the Bismillah trawler, said 600 trawlers set out from the landing center on Wednesday night.
“Those who fished near the coast returned with good catches. The 58-day ban seems to have paid off. Hopefully, hilsa will continue to appear in abundance throughout the season,” he said.
Jewel Hossain, an official of Fakirhat fish landing center confirmed that hilsa is being caught in significant quantities following the end of the ban.
Deep-sea trawlers are yet to return, but once they do, hilsa supply is expected to increase further.
He added that the current market price of hilsa varies between Tk 35,000 and Tk 120,000 per maund, depending on size and quality.
Source: UNB