44 fishermen punished, 41.5 tons Jatka , 4.26 m meters net seized

Teams of Fishery Department and Coast Guard have been continuing operation against netting ‘Jatka’ (hilsa fry less than 10 inch or 26 centimeters in length) at different areas of Barisal district seized 41.5 tons Jatka in last 104 days. Bimal Chandra Das, district fishery officer (hilsa) disclosed these facts.
The 45 mobile courts formed during these period jailed 8 fishermen and realized 64 thousand taka as fine from 44 others lodging 44 cases.
We also seized 42.68 lakh meters thickly knitted Current Net worth Tk 8.12 cores in this period operating 44 drives from November 1, 2013 to February 12, 2014, told district fishery officer Wahiduzzaman.
Besides fishery department and Coast Guard, searching different trawlers and fishing boats on Kirtankhola River on Thursday early to late morning seized more 1.8 ton Jatka from two trawlers, the fishery officials told.
Those Jatkas were carrying from Daulat Khan of Bhola for selling and marketing in Barisal city, they said.
The seized Jatka later distributed to 22 orphanages, madrasa, slums of the city by the order of the mobile court formed at Barisal port led by administrative magistrate Qamruzzaman.
Israil Pandit, president Khudra Matsyajibi Saminity, alleged personals of law enforcing agencies, fishery department, and administration often operating drives seizes not only fishes but also nets and took away a large portion of seized fishes to their houses harassing and depriving poor fishermen fighting for livelihood.
The action was taken for violating eight-month country- wide ban enforced from November 1 to June 30 instead of November 1 to May 31 against netting, transportation and marketing ‘Jatka'(hilsa fry less
than 10 inch or 26 centimeters in length ), AKM Aminul Islam, deputy director and divisional fishery officer told.
Aminul Islam said the restriction was imposed under ‘East Bengal Protection and Conservation of Fish Act’ was passed in 1950 and revised as ‘Fish Protection and Conservation Act (amended) ‘ in 1985.
This act was revised on September 14 , 1985 and again on April 13 ,2013 extending the restriction period from November 1 to June 30 and revising the size of Jatka as 10-inch(26 centimeter), he added.