Dhaka, May 11 (UNB) -- Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim on Wednesday said new technologies are being installed in 10,000 fishing vessels to detect those in the sea.
He revealed the information while speaking at a meeting on fishing ban in the Bangladesh maritime boundary for 65 days from May 20 to July 23 at Matsya Bhaban in the capital.
“The works to install the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) at all commercial fishing trawlers under sustainable coastal and marine fisheries project implemented by the Department of Fisheries are underway,” he said.
Through the installation of VMS and GSM, authorities can identify the position of the licensed fishing trawlers and can monitor these, Rezaul said adding that if fishing vessels violate the rules and regulations, then there will have a chance to take punitive action against those.
He also said none can catch fish in the sea violating the law and the mobile courts will take action against the violators as per the rules.
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On the other hand, it should be considered that no helpless fishermen are harassed, he said adding local administration, navy and coast guard, and river police will take measures considering the situation.
Fishermen will be benefitted from the preservation of the fish and the government is only working for the interest of the fishermen and the common people, he added.
Mentioning that Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) will be provided only to real fishermen during the banning period of catching fish in the sea, the minister said integrated measures should be taken by the Department of Fisheries and Forest Department for preserving fish of the Sundarbans and the fisherman.
Fisheries and livestock secretary Dr. Mohammad Yamin Chowdhury, additional secretary Shyamal Chandra Karmakar, Md. Toufiqul Arif, SM Ferdous Alam, Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation chairman Md. Hemayet Hussain, and director-general of the Department of Fisheries Mahbubul Haque were, among others, present.