Authorities seized a large shipment of illegal Parsha fish fry (Pona) in Paikgachha, Khulna, on Wednesday afternoon. The seized fry were later released back into the Shibsha River as part of an ongoing effort to protect natural fisheries.
The joint operation, led by Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Saikat Mallick and the Naval Police, took place near the Shibbati Bridge. The fry had been illegally harvested from the rivers within and surrounding the Sundarbans.
"These operations are vital for conserving our natural aquatic resources," stated Officer Saikat Mallick, noting that similar drives would continue. Naval Police Outpost In-charge Rabiul Islam and Field Assistant Randhir Sarkar were also present during the drive.
Despite a government ban, a section of local traders continues to harvest wild fry from the Sundarbans to supply local shrimp and fish farms. While the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) Saltwater Center has successfully developed artificial breeding technology for Parsha, commercial hatcheries have yet to be established.
Local farmers remain dependent on natural sources due to this lack of commercial supply. Coastal shrimp farmers believe that government incentives and private entrepreneurship in hatchery production—similar to Bagda and Lobster—are essential to ending the illegal harvest of wild fry.
