Coast Guard detains 18 fishermen for illegal trawling in Chattogram, boat and net seized
Fisheries officials say the continued use of such gear has disrupted breeding patterns in the Bay of Bengal and threatens the broader marine ecosystem.
The Bangladesh Coast Guard has detained 18 fishermen for using illegal artisanal trawling boats and banned nets in the Bay of Bengal off Chattogram.
Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Hoque, media officer of the Coast Guard, said the arrests were made yesterday (18 November) during an operation near the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port.
According to a statement, the team first intercepted an unauthorised artisanal trawling boat based on a tip-off. A search of the vessel led to the seizure of four trawling nets and the detention of the fishermen on board. Legal action is underway against them.
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Small wooden boats fitted with improvised engines are often converted into unlicensed trawlers and paired with behundi nets, which have mesh sizes as narrow as half an inch. These nets trap everything in their path—juvenile fish, spawning mothers, and a wide range of marine organisms that form the natural food chain.
Fisheries officials say the continued use of such gear has disrupted breeding patterns in the Bay of Bengal and threatens the broader marine ecosystem.
To protect fish stocks and biodiversity, the government has banned trawling boats and these nets in coastal and seawater deep less than 40 meters.
