65-day ban on fishing at sea begins

A 65-day ban on fishing at the sea started across the country from last midnight.

The ban has been imposed as it is the breeding season of various species of fish at the sea, officials at fisheries department said.

Nripendra Nath Biswas, deputy director of Barisal Divisional Fisheries Office, said during the ban, no fishing vessels, including trawlers and industrial trawlers, will be allowed to go to the sea.

"We have also hold meetings and awareness activities to ensure that the fishermen maintain the restriction," he said.

At least 231 commercial fishing trawlers, 32,859 engine-driven trawlers and 67,669 other water vessels will be refrained from fishing during the ban till July 23.

Meanwhile, each of the total 3,11,062 affected fishermen will be given 56kg of rice under Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme, the fisheries official said.

Alauddin Majhi, fisherman of Bhola Sadar Upazila, said a number fishing bans all round the year have made the fishers life miserable.

Golam Mostafa Chowdhury, president of Barguna District Fishing Trawler Owners' Association, urged the government to take more steps for the several lakhs of coastal fishermen, who will remain unemployed till the ban ends.

Alauddin Patwari, general secretary of Charfashion Trawler Owners Association, urged authorities to be vigilant so that Indian trawlers cannot enter the territory and catch fish.