Kolkata: Spike without stopping in the price of fuel not only burns a hole in the pocket – it also stops the Hilsa growth engine in Bengal Bay.
As fishermen save on fuel and throwing fine nets in shallow waters along the coastline instead of exploring to the sea, more Hilsa teenagers are getting caught than full planted for their tastes.
While Hilsa fish live in salt waters, they migrate to the river to lay eggs before returning to the sea.
Shoals of Young Hilsa makes the way back to the sea now stuck in a fine net located close to the coastline.
Capturing Hils under 500gm was banned in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar almost three decades ago to protect rapidly thinning fish populations.
Bangladesh has managed to enforce a ban and revive the Hilsa population in its waters, but India and Myanmar experienced medium success.
With diesel prices increased by more than 30% in the past 12 months, upholding the prohibition of capturing Juvenile Hils 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 Bengal.
The fishermen admitted their catch from shallow waters close to the beach.
A year ago, the return trip for fishing in the deep sea by trawl used for the cost of Rs 1.5 lakh, including salaries and food from 15-16 fishermen on the ship.
“We will spend 1,200 liters of fuel for 15 day trips and costs reach around Hospital RS 84,000.
Now only 800 liters of US RS 75,000 fuel and because other expenses also increase, we are fishing along the coastline,” said Rabin Das, which Has a lot of trawl.
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.
South 24 Parganas Fisheries Director (Marine) Jayanta Pradhan said that almost all fishermen now pamper the practice of illegal fishing.