KHULNA, Jan 1, 2025 (BSS)- A two-month ban on harvesting crab has been imposed centering the breeding season of the aquatic animal in Sundarbans, largest mangrove forest in the world.

The Department of Forest has imposed the ban in the rivers in west and south divisions of the Sundarbans and it will remain effective from January 1 to February 28.

Mihir Kumar Doe, Conservator of Forests in Khulna, told BSS that crabs are one of the important sources for earning foreign currencies.

On  behalf of the department of forest, all sorts of necessary measures were adopted to boost crab breeding. The fishermen were given instruction to debar them from harvesting crabs during the breeding season strictly, he added.

Mihir Kumar said there is 1,874 square-kilometer water area of the 6,017 square-kilometer Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans, which is 31 percent of the total Sundarbans area.

In the Sundarbans aquatic area, there are 210 species of fishes, 24 species of shrimps and 14 species of crabs.

The two months of January and February are the breeding season for crabs. So, the department of forest suspends permission for harvesting crabs every year.

Ziaur rahman, Station Forest Officer at Burigoalini under Satkhira Range, said crabs laid more eggs in January and February and huge sheela species crabs are found in different rivers in Satkhira range.

During the breeding season, crabs in flocks appeared to the rivers from sea and lay eggs abundantly.