Hilsa production increases by 92 percent in 15 years

Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim says hilsa production increased by 92 percent in the last 15 years thanks to the comprehensive steps taken by the government.

He said that monitoring activities will be intensified in water, land and air ways so that no one can catch hilsa during the mother hilsa conservation campaign from October 12 to November 2.

In a press conference at the Secretariat on Wednesday, the Livestock Minister said, “The production of hilsa has increased unexpectedly due to the implementation of coordinated programs by the government for the development of hilsa resources. In financial year 2002-03, the production of hilsa had decreased alarmingly to 1.99 lac metric tonnes. But, it has increased to 5.71 lac metric tons in the financial year 2022-23 due to the initiatives taken by the government.”

“The government initiated the campaign for conserving mother hilsa. The catching, transporting, marketing and hoarding of hilsa are banned for these 22 days (Oct 12 to Nov 2). Tough action will be taken against the violators of this ban. Mobile courts will be conducted alongside the deployment of the law enforcers at the different estuaries in the country,” he said.