The success of the hilsa ban programme has come into question. The markets are flooded with brood-hilsa now despite an 11-day ban on catching for the safe spawning of the fish.

Almost all the hilsa available in the city markets now are full of eggs. The peak period of hilsa egg spawning ended last Friday.

Hilsa experts from the Bangladesh Fish Research Institute (BFR1) say that hilsa spawn throughout October, starting from the end of September, and again in January.

“But five days before and after the October full moon, a total of 11 days are considered as the peak period of hilsa egg spawning,” said Anisur Rahman, an eminent hilsa researcher.

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Asked whether the time span of hilsa spawning was changing, he said he had not noticed any such change yet.

However, some researchers say that they had noticed such a trend.

Dewan Ali Ahsan, the chairman of the fisheries department of Dhaka University, said he had noticed some behavioural change in recent years as most of the hilsa were not laying eggs during the traditional peak season.

Climatic conditions are changing. There are also the issues of over-fishing and pollution in the rivers and in the Bay, he said.

"All the species try their best to cope with the situation,” he said. The hilsa might be trying to cope with the situation and not laying eggs during the traditional peak season,” said Ahsan.

But the matter is subject to detailed research before comments on it can be made with certainty, he added.

The government imposes the ban as per the traditional knowledge of fishermen every year.

The five breeding grounds -- Kalirchar of Sandwip, Dhalerchar and Moulavichar of Hatia, Monpura and Charfashion in Bhola cover 7,000 square kilometres in seven coastal districts.

According to a survey data of the BFRI for 2007-2010, the production of hilsa fry increased by 11,77,35 and 67 percent owing to the ban.

Fisheries officials say this year they conducted a total 1,020 mobile courts and 4,402 surprise drives across the country.

During the drives, they recovered 61.16 tonnes of hilsa and 117.3 lakh meters of fishing nets worth Tk 34.25 crore, said an official.

Moreover, the government also lodged 559 cases against people who violated the law during the embargo. 850 people were imprisoned under different terms and finedTk 13.23 lakh.

Besides the punitive measures, the government also provides 30 kilograms of rice to 287,824 jatka (less than nine inches) fishermen in 85 upazilas in 15 districts during the ban.

But as the government did

not give any compensation for these 11 days, the fishermen went desperate in catching hilsa during this season.

"The government did not pay any compensation for the fishermen who are involved in catching hilsa. How will they survive?” asked Ahsan, the chairman of the fisheries department.

Now there are five lakh fishermen directly involved in catching hilsa, said the BFRI officials.

Phani Bhushan Malo, general secretary of Bangladesh Fishermen's Association, said, “Compared to previous years, it seems that this year the number of brood-hilsa was more even after the peak spawning period,” he said.

Things are changing, he added.

The hilsa production at present contributes one percent to the GDP and meets 10 to 12 percent of the country's total fish demands.

In 2010-11, Bangladesh earned Tk 353 crore by exporting 8539 tonnes of hilsa fish.