Rough sea due to new moon forces fishing trawlers to harbours

Fishing trawlers anchored in harbour in Kalapara on Thursday.

Patuakhali: the south Bay of Bengal adjacent to Kuakata has become rough under the influence of new moon tide. The fishing trawler is returning to a safe shelter without being able to withstand the heavy waves. The fishermen, who were out of work due to the 65-day ban, were forced to go back to sea for fishing, and their faces showed sadness.

At midnight on July 23, after the 65-day ban, thousands of coastal fishing trawlers set sail for the deep sea. Several trawlers have returned to the wharf from the estuary. And the deep-sea trawlers threw their nets twice in the turbulent sea and returned to the shore without finding any fish. Fishermen are busy weaving the nets left on the sea journey.

Fisherman Tayob Ali said, we are seeing a strong storm from the estuary while going to the sea. The thought was that the deep sea would have fewer waves. But deep seas also have many storms and strong currents. Even then I was throwing a net once. But in the rush of the waves all the nets were tangled and torn with ropes. It will take less than a week to fix the mesh.

FB Tamanna Trawler boat man Md. Yunus Mia said, preparations were being made by filling the trawler with oil and ice. It was scheduled to go to sea on the morning of July 24. But after receiving news of rough seas, he did not go any further. If it is suitable for fishing, I will go to the sea.

FB Bismillah-01 Trawler boat man Eklach Gazi said, I went to the sea from Alipur Ghat in the late night of July 23. On July 24, the sea suddenly became rough at noon tide. Still, after fishing for two days, I came to the ghat on the night of July 25 and sold only one lakh taka. Large size hilsa was not caught. There are small and medium sized hilsa.

A. Jalil Gharami, the owner of Moni Fish in Alipur fishing port, said that the fishermen went to the sea after the 65-days ban. Forced to return to the wharf due to rough seas. They only got food fish.

Kalapara Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Apu Saha said that after the ban, all the trawlers that went to the deep sea have returned to the wharf. There are strong waves and currents in the ocean. The sea is unusually rough under the influence of the ongoing Jo. The sea is not likely to be normal in the next two-three days.

Apu Saha also said that the sea will be normal once the effect of new moon tide is over. Expecting to catch a large amount of hilsa in the fishermen's nets. - Gofran Biswas Palash