The Bangladesh Coast Guard has arrested 53 fishermen along with illegal trawling boats from the Bay of Bengal in two separate operations carried out near Cheradia, St Martin’s Island.
During the operations, three artisanal trawling boats, 30 trawling nets and around 5,500 kilograms of various species of marine fish were seized, with an estimated market value of about Tk6.5 crore.
Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq, the Coast Guard’s media officer, confirmed the operation on Thursday morning.
Based on a tip-off, the Coast Guard vessel “Shobuj Bangla” conducted a special raid around 3am on Wednesday in the southwest waters adjacent to Cheradip.
During the operation, two artisanal trawling boats were seized.
He added that after searching the seized boats, 25 trawling nets worth around Tk6.28 crore, 3,000 kilograms of marine fish and 37 fishermen were detained.
Earlier, at around 10pm on Tuesday, the Coast Guard’s Banshkhali contingent carried out another special operation in Banshkhali, Chattogram.
During the operation, one illegal artisanal trawling boat was seized.
Subsequently, after searching the boat, five trawling nets worth around Tk28 lakh, 250 kilograms of marine fish and 16 fishermen were detained.
The Coast Guard said the process of taking further legal action regarding the seized trawling boats, nets and fish, as well as the detained fishermen, is underway.
