Crackdown on illegal fishing in Sivasagar amid breeding season ban

Sivasagar, June 2: In compliance with the Assam Fishery Rules, 1953, the district fishery development office of Sivasagar has been undertaking a series of raids against illegal fishing in the district during the breeding season of fish, which lasts from April 1 to July 15.

Recently, personnel of the department, led by the district officer, JP Duwara, raided various beels and swampy areas in Panidihing, Saraguwa, and other places and confiscated fishing nets of various sizes from unauthorised fishermen.

To conserve the natural fishery resources, the Assam Fishery Rules prohibit the use of berjal, mahajal, fasijal, or any fishing net with meshes less than 7 cm/14 cm size during the fish breeding season. Further, catching of brood or gravid fish (fish carrying eggs and sperm) of certain species such as rohu, catla, mrigal, mali, chital, kharia, pithia, gharia, kurhi, and bhangon is prohibited during the breeding season. As such, the district magistrate of Sivasagar had promulgated a prohibitory order under Section 163 of the BNSS in the entire district in March last.

The district fishery development office had organised a series of awareness meetings in the vulnerable areas in Dikhowmukh, Gaurisagar, Konwarpur, etc., from April 2 to April 9. From May 29 onwards, departmental officials started conducting sudden raids in the vulnerable pockets with the help of the respective police outposts.

JP Duwora told this correspondent that the Rules apply to any proclaimed fishery under Section 16 of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886, and include kheos or fish ways, dabas, and beels.

Rampant illegal fishing in all natural reservoirs in Panidihing and nearby areas has virtually led to the extinction of some of the local species like changa sengeli, banhpotia, gagady, etc., which were once found abundantly in the area.

However, the occasional raids very often lead to a spike in illegal fishing, as the culprits seek to compensate for the loss of fishing nets seized by the department. As such, roping in the NGOs working for conservation of the environment and wildlife can yield good results when it comes to preventing illegal fishing activity.

Sahitya Sabha unit meet: Meanwhile, the first full-fledged executive committee meeting of Sivasagar Zila Sahitya Sabha, held at Sivasagar Government HS&MP School on Sunday, adopted a number of resolutions to revamp literary activities and strengthen the organisational set-up among its 37 primary units.

The executive committee decided to hold seminars and organise poetry and storytelling sessions, along with different literary competitions among all sections, to attract the new generation towards Assamese literature. It aims to encourage historical research and studies to discover hidden literary treasures among all tribes and provide a renewed thrust on the use of the mother tongue.

Presided over by its president Jogesh Kishore Phukan, the meeting paid homage to Neel Paban Baruah, Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi, and Durlove Buragohain.

Joga Gogoi, former president of the Zila Sahitya Sabha, recollected the days of the Ahom dynasty and the later British colonialists. He also said that residents of Sivasagar have made distinctive contributions to the arts, cinema, literature, and all other disciplines. As many as 12 Asam Sahitya Sabha presidents were from Sivasagar, he added.

On the occasion, Manju Chetia, principal of Sivasagar Government HS School, released a souvenir titled Sabha Patrika.