A mobile court has fined 17 fishermen Tk4,000 each for catching jatka in the sanctuary areas of the Padma and Meghna rivers in Chandpur.
Assistant Fisheries Officer Mizanur Rahman confirmed the matter on Tuesday. Deputy Commissioner Sajid Haque conducted a mobile court at Coast Guard station.
Senior Fisheries Officer Mirza Omar Faruk stated that a task force conducted raids from 5pm on Monday until 3am on Tuesday. The operations covered several areas, including Akhanerhat, Chairman Station, Horina Ghat Bohoria, Mini Cox’s Bazar, Tilabari, Anandabazar, Lalpur, and Gazipur Tek.
During the drive, 17 fishermen were caught red-handed while catching jatka. Authorities seized 10,000 metres of current nets and 5 kg of jatka from their possession. The confiscated fish were distributed to orphanages, while the illegal nets were destroyed by fire.
To protect the Hilsa fry, the government has declared a 70-kilometre stretch of the Padma and Meghna rivers in Chandpur as a sanctuary for the months of March and April.
During this two-month period, the catching, sale, hoarding, and transportation of all species of fish are strictly prohibited, with violators facing prosecution under the Fisheries Act.
