Fishermen of southern districts return to sea as 58-day ban ends
According to the Department of Fisheries, the ban ensured optimal breeding conditions for marine species
After a 58-day fishing ban in the Bay of Bengal, fishermen from southern districts of the country have resumed their activities at sea.
The restriction, which began on 15 April, officially ended at midnight today (11 June). Following the end of the ban, trawlers have started heading toward the sea.
According to the Department of Fisheries, the ban ensured optimal breeding conditions for marine species. Officials expect an increased catch this season, especially of hilsa, which could lead to reduced market prices.
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Alauddin Mistri, a fisherman from Pirojpur's Parerhat area, said, "We spent idle days during the ban. Now that preparations are done, we set out for the sea today. It'll take about a day to reach. If the catch is good, we'll stay for 6-7 days."
Another fisherman, Azharul Islam, highlighted the rising operational costs. "A single trip costs around Tk4-5 lakh. Prices of essentials have gone up.
"Despite being registered fishermen, we don't always receive full government support. This time, we received rice for only one trip," he said.
Addressing these concerns, Alfaz Uddin Sheikh, deputy director of the Barisal Division Fisheries Office, said government assistance was distributed for 42 out of the 58 days of the ban.
"The remaining aid will be provided soon. We haven't received the full rice allocation yet, but once we do, it will be distributed to the fishermen."
He added that with the ban lifted, fish supplies are expected to rise in the market, which should help stabilise prices and bring them within consumers' purchasing power.
Since 2015, the government has enforced seasonal bans in Bangladesh's marine waters to protect fish breeding, increase production, preserve marine biodiversity, and promote sustainable fishing. Initially, the duration was 65 days. However, this year, the ban was shortened to 58 days to align with India's fishing policies, following requests from researchers, fishermen, and fisheries stakeholders.
In Barisal division alone, out of 4,21,093 registered fishermen across six districts, 1,46,029 are sea-going. These fishermen typically operate using around 7,405 fishing trawlers.
