A 13-member high-powered committee has been formed to check fish smuggling in the sea and intrusion of other countries’ fishermen into the Bangladesh water territory, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sayedul Hoque said on Sunday. He said this while talking to reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting on protecting fish resources in the Bangladesh water territory and keeping limited the number of trawlers fishing in the bay at the secretariat. Sayedul Hoque said the committee, led by a Joint Secretary to the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry, comprises representatives from police, Rab, BGB, port authorities, Navy, Bangladesh Coast Guard, National Board of Revenue, Foreign Ministry, Home Ministry, Shipping Ministry and Marine and Fisheries Academy. He said the committee will monitor fish resources and activities of commercial trawlers in the sea. The committee will submit its report to the ministry in every three months on updated information of fish resources in the exclusive economic zone of the Bay of Bengal, amount of fish to be caught with harming the environment and recommending action against unapproved foreign trawlers. The minister said currently 221 vessels have permission to catch fish in the sea although the number should not be more than 75 comparing the amount of fish resources. It was decided at the meeting that licenses of trawlers of more than 20-25 years of age as well as wooden ones will not be renewed to keep the trawler number limited, he said. – UNB
