Drive against use of illegal nets to begin January 2021
The combing operation is due to be conducted in 17 coastal districts in two phases
The government is due to conduct a crackdown in 17 coastal districts of the country, from January next year, to stop the catching of fish with illegal nets.
The fisheries and livestock ministry took the decision at a meeting on "Conducting a Special Combing Operation" to remove all illegal fishing nets, in its conference room on Wednesday.
In two phases, the operation will be conducted in: Bhola, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barishal, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Chandpur, Lakshmipur, Chattogram, Noakhali, Cox's Bazar, and Munshiganj, said meeting sources.
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The monitoring team of the ministry and the department of fisheries will coordinate the special operation.
The drive will be conducted by the teams consisting of: Navy, Police, RAB, Coast Guard, Naval Police, local administration, public representatives, and the Department of Fisheries.
Fisheries and livestock secretary Raunak Mahmud said, "The use of illegal nets should be stopped at rivers, coasts and estuaries at any cost. We will not allow any dishonest people to destroy the country's fisheries resources."
The use of behundi nets, current nets, mosquito nets, and sack nets is destroying fish eggs, spawn and fry in the coastal water bodies and river basins, disrupting the country's fish production.
To this end, the government has banned the use of these harmful nets under The Protection and Conservation of Fish Act 1950 and The Protection and Conservation of Fees Rules 185. This special drive will be launched to protect the spawn and fry of other native fish including jatka or hilsa fry.
