A one day Mass Awareness Campaign on Hilsa conservation and restoration of Juvenile Hilsa fishery in Hooghly Matlah Estuarine system of coastal Sundarbans was organised by ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore at Frasergunj Harbour, Namkhana Block, 24 Parganas (S) on 12th October, 2017. Dr. B. K. Das, Director, CIFRI while inaugurating the campaign stressed upon the holistic approach for tackling such a huge task where involvement of Central Govt. organisation like ICAR Fishery Institutes, DoF of coastal states of India viz., Gujrat, Odisha, West Bengal etc, NGOs, BOBP, Ministries like Agriculture & Farmer Welfare, MPEDA etc is required. He reiterated on the banning period of Hilsa catch that it should be the same period across India so as to resolve the issues of harvesting given equal opportunity to all the fishers thriving on Hilsa. Shri Sushil Das, Secretary, Fresergunj Harbour raised the issue of destructive Juvenile fishing in Coastal Zone of Bengal, by bottom trawling through ‘Bag Net’ all the Juvenile fish sp. including Hilsa are being destructed rampantly. He also pointed out that since there is a Hilsa fishery in a mass scale being harvested during mid September to mid October every year at a size group of 150 to 200 gm out of which 80% attain gonadal maturity proclaiming that. This is a separate strain of Hilsa sp. Director, CIFRI assured that the strain will be identified through DNA analysis to confirm the claim as raised by President and Secretary of the Fresergunj Harbour. About 150 fishers including 10 women took active part in this program. Dr. B. P. Mohanty in his deliberation urged the fishers to utilize Scientifically their homestead ponds including Canal System of the Block for production of SIFs. This would provide alternative livelihood to the fishers during closing season besides eradicating malnutrition in this rural sector of Bengal. The program was well coordinated by Dr. A. K. Das, I/C E&T Cell and his team. Such program would be of immense help in conserving Hilsa by restricting destruction of Juveniles for a better tomorrow of Coastal Bengal.
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