Vigorous role of stakeholders is needed to stop current nets' use: Farida Akhter

BSS

Published On: 15 Jan 2025, 17:25 Updated On:15 Jan 2025, 19:43

Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter today spoke at view-exchange meeting in Munshiganj. Photo : PID

DHAKA, Jan 15, 2025 (BSS) - Mentioning that drives and punitive measures are not sufficient to stop the use of synthetic nylon nets, known as the current nets, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter urged all stakeholders to play a vigorous role in this regard.

"The synthetic nylon nets are now being produced in different regions across the country, including Munshiganj . . . The government is conducting regular drives and recovering illegal nets...But not only the drive and taking punitive actions against concerned persons are not enough to resolve the problem," said the adviser.

The adviser told a view-exchange meeting with district administration, law enforcement agencies, fisheries department officials, net manufacturers, and fishermen at the office of Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner on Tuesday afternoon.

Farida said the fishermen usually use these particular types of net due to its cheaper price, light in weight and easier to transport, adding that all types of fishes irrespective of big or small are being caught with this environmentally harmful net.

Terming hilsa as one of the favorite fishes across the world, she said, "We are proud of the abundance of this type of fish, adding, "But we feel hurt when we see Jatkas [hilsa fry] being caught extensively."

Today's meeting is exclusively for those who are mainly being involved with the manufacturing and trading of the nets that are hazardous to the environment, she added.

So, the adviser called the concerned stakeholders to become more conscious and not to produce and market this harmful synthetic nylon net.

With Deputy Commissioner of Munshiganj Fatematul Jannat in the chair, the progrmme was also attended, among others, by Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sharf Uddin Ahmad Chowdhury, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Syeda Naoara Jahan, Director General of the Department of Fisheries Dr. M. Abdur Rauf, District Livestock Officer Dr. Nazrul Islam, District Fisheries Officer ATM Toufique Mahmud, and different Upazila Nirbahi Officers of Munshiganj district.