Rangamati’s Kaptai Lake will observe a vital conservation measure as authorities enact a three-month ban on fishing activities from April 25th to July 24th. This annual prohibition aims to safeguard fish populations and promote natural breeding in the lake.
Deputy Commissioner Md Mosaraf Hossain Khan unveiled this decision during a meeting at the district administration office, underlining the ban’s significance in replenishing carp fish stocks and enhancing fishery resources.
To enforce the ban rigorously, naval police will patrol the lake and mobile courts will crack down on any illicit fishing, transportation, or sales activities. Offenders will face legal action, with local ice mills shutting down for the duration of the ban. Market surveillance and lake monitoring will be intensified to ensure compliance, added the deputy commissioner.
Commander Ashraful Alam Bhuiyan, Manager of Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation in Rangamati, highlighted decreased fish catches due to low rainfall, stressing the importance of fish breeding during this period. Consequently, the ban aims to support natural fish reproduction.
The initiative garnered support from various stakeholders, including Ishtiaq Haider from Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Additional District Magistrate Zobaida Akhtar, and representatives of fish traders, who attended the meeting to discuss the ban’s implementation.
