The Forest Department has imposed a two-month ban on crab fishing in the rivers and canals of the Sundarbans' Satkhira Range during the breeding season.

The ban, effective from January 1, will remain in place until February 29 across both the western and eastern divisions of the Sundarbans.

According to the Forest Department, the Bangladesh portion of the Sundarbans spans 6,017 square kilometers, with water bodies covering 1,874 square kilometers, around 31 percent of the total area.

The forest accommodates 210 species of fish, 24 species of shrimp, and 14 species of crab while January and February are considered the breeding season for crabs.

Satkhira’s Forest Range Office said that there are 2,900 boats registered to enter the Sundarbans under the range, with 1,600 of them authorised for crab fishing.

Read: Fishermen return to crab collection in Sundarbans after a 2-month ban

However, during the ban, no fisherman is allowed to enter the forest to catch crabs.

Abul Hossain, a crab harvester from Burigoalini in Satkhira, said that no one with financial stability risks their life fishing for crabs in the Sundarbans. The two-month ban will make it hard for them to survive.

Urging the government to stand by the crab harvester during the ban period, he said they have to depend on loans from moneylenders.

Ziaur Rahman, forest station officer in Burigoalini, said crabs lay eggs during January and February. In the Satkhira Range, the Sheela species of crabs are found.

During the breeding, crabs shift from the sea to the rivers and canals to lay eggs, making them easy to catch as they are hungry. If they are not hunted during this time, crab production can increase the following year, he said.

Therefore, the government has enforced this ban to boost crab reproduction. Patrolling will be intensified to ensure the breeding process is uninterrupted, said the forest official.

Read more: Satkhira flood washes away Tk8.28 crore worth of fish, crab, shrimp

Addressing the economic importance of crabs, Md. Mashiur Rahman, assistant conservator of forests (ACF) of Satkhira Range, said crabs are a major source of foreign exchange.

The Forest Department has taken all necessary measures to increase crab breeding. Fishermen have been strictly instructed not to engage in crab fishing during the ban, he said.