Dhaka – A parliamentary panel has asked the government to extend the tenure of annual ban on Hilsha catch for 22 days from existing 15 days to help better natural breeding of the fish.
The standing committee on ministry of fisheries and livestock on Sunday made the recommendation at a meeting based on a report prepared by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute.
The institute also suggested the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry to engage local government representatives and lawmakers concerned to ensure that none go for fishing during the ban.
The government last year increased the yearly ban to 15 days from previous 11 days coincided with the spawning season of the fish.
The committee, earlier, suggested the ban to be for 30 days which BFRI opposed fearing a natural imbalance of the marine species.
“Overall growth of the fish particularly size will be hampered and capacity of laying eggs of mother Hilsha will also be reduced if we allow mother fish to lay eggs for around one month,” BFRI report said.
It also said that allowing mother fishes to lay eggs for 30 will create scarcity of food and habitats.
It will also create adverse impact on livelihood of the fishermen and increase public cost in enforcing the ban if the ban period is fixed 30 days, the report added.
Around 7,000 square kilometres of water-bodies in the country are considered to be the breeding ground of the Hilsha.
The fishes, which return to the sea after breeding in fresh waters, often got caught by fishermen even after the expiry of the prohibition.
The breeding sanctuaries are Dhalchar of Meghna intersection, Manpura Island, Moulavibazar and Kalirchar.
The BFRI report said usually Hilsha breeds all the year but breeds more during mid Bhadro-Mid Kartik and Mid Push-Mid Falgun.
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