Trawlers forced back by rough seas in Cox’s Bazar

Fishing crews in Cox's Bazar were forced to return to shore just days after resuming operations following a 58-day government ban, as rough seas in the Bay of Bengal made conditions too dangerous.

Mohammad Manjur went to the Bay with 22 others on June 12, the day the ban ended, spending about Tk 8 lakh on supplies for a 15-day trip.

But heavy waves forced them back within three days.

"The waves nearly overturned our boat," Manjur, a resident of Khuruskul in Sadar upazila, said.

"We caught loitta [Bombay duck] worth about Tk 2 lakh, but suffered a loss of around Tk 6 lakh," he added.

Like most crew, Manjur said they returned with only a small catch of marine fish and very few hilsa.

Delwar Hossain, secretary of the Cox's Bazar Fishing Trawler Owners' Association, said nearly all trawlers that had ventured out into the sea after the ban were forced to return due to turbulent weather.

"Only a few small boats near the shore are still fishing," he said.

"Around 5,000 fishing trawlers operate in Cox's Bazar. After the ban, about 30 percent went out, but most came back, incurring heavy losses."

He said each boat fetched fish worth at most Tk 2 lakh, with hilsa numbers particularly disappointing.

"Each boat got fewer than 100 hilsa. And now that the Bangla month of Ashar has started, which we consider a natural off-season, we may have to wait another month before heading back."

Abdur Rahim, a fisherman from Nuniarchara, said he had already been without income for two months.

"If this weather continues, our families won't survive," he said.

In Teknaf's Mistiriparaghat, all 41 fishing boats returned to shore, according to its president Mohammad Hasan.

He criticised the timing of the fishing ban.

"April to June is our peak hilsa season. Imposing the ban during this period destroys our livelihoods," he said.