Kolkata: The steep increase in fuel prices takes victims on Hilsa’s health in Indian waters in Bengal Bay as fishermen throwing their nets in shallow waters along the coastline along the sea, not exploring the sea to catch.
They also use a finer net that traps Hilsa teenagers instead of larger nets that allow small to escape.
Hilsa, a sea fish, moves into the river to lay eggs before returning to the sea.
Shoals of Young Hilsa also tries to return to the sea.
This is during the return trip that the younger trapped in the fine net placed close to the coastline.
Catching Hilses below 500gm is prohibited in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar almost three decades ago to protect the thinning fish population for rapid fishing.
While Bangladesh has been very successful in enforcing a ban and reviving the Hilsa population in its waters, India and Myanmar also have some success.
But with diesel prices increased by more than 30% in the past 12 months, this ban enforcement proved to be a challenge.
Last week, the attack by the fisheries department was about a ton of Hilsa teenagers from trawlers who had returned to Kakdwip.
The fishermen admit that they have been fishing in shallow waters close to the beach.
A year ago, a round trip for fishing in the deep sea with trawlers used for Rs 1.5 lakh costs, including salaries and food from 15-16 fishermen on board.
“We will spend 1,200 liters of fuel for 15 day trips and costs reach around Rs 84,000.
Now only 800 liters of US RS 75,000 fuel is also increased, we are fishing along the coastline,” said Rabin Das, who has Many trawls.
What a basic meaning is that while trawls are used to explore around 450 km to the previous sea.
Now, they travel only about 270 km.
24 South Parganas Fisheries Director (Marine) Jayanta Pradhan said that almost all fishermen now pamper themselves in illegal fishing.
“We try our best to prevent them from capturing Hilsa Juvenile.
We have distributed leaflets and drives awareness to prevent fishing during the Hilsa breeding period.
But they use good lower nets instead of grill nets that make it difficult for teenagers to come out,” he said , Rampant teenagers have spelled havoc for the larger population of Hilsa and fishing catches dramatically, said Debasish de, the main scientist and officers responsible for the research center of the Aquaculture Air Brackish Research Center.
“There was serious drought Hilsa in the mouth of Bengal which was once blessed with a large number of fish.
The arrival of full adult Hils from the deep sea for breed has decreased significantly due to improper fishing hils.
They cause extraordinary damage to the Hilsystem, “De said.
While before it was greed which caused several fishermen to ignore the norms, experts Hilsa recognize that the increase in diesel prices has forced more to enjoy illegal fishing.
Maity Bijon, Secretary, the Kakdwip fisherman association, said they had tried to educate fellow fishermen to stop fishing in troubled waters but persuading them to be more difficult to follow the increase in prices of large fuel.
However, he acknowledged that illegal practices needed to be locked apart from the pull and pressure that might face the fisheries industry.
“The fishermen destroy their own future.
We must recognize this as an ecological crime and act hard like Bangladesh.
If not, Hils will soon become extinct,” he said.