Photo: BSS

By Md. Hafizur Rahman 

BARGUNA, July 6, 2026 (BSS) - The peak hilsa fishing season has brought little relief to thousands of fishermen in southern coastal district of Barguna where poor catches and rough seas have left many struggling to make ends meet.

Although the monsoon traditionally marks the busiest period for hilsa fishing, this year's harvest has fallen well below expectations. Fishermen say they are returning from the sea with nearly empty nets despite spending days in offshore, while rising fuel and operating costs have pushed many deeper into debt.

"We used to catch far more hilsa just two or three years ago," said fisherman Abul Kalam from Charduani at Patharghata upazila. "Now the fish are scarce, expenses have increased and even after covering costs we often end up with losses, he said. 

Another fisherman, Lokman Hossain from Dalbhanga under Barguna Sadar, said he spent four days on the river without catching enough fish to cover his expenses. Mojibur Rahman from Nali village echoed the frustration, saying he returned home after three days at sea with only a small quantity of hilsa.

The shortage has also affected local fish markets, where supplies have declined and prices have climbed. A kilogram of large hilsa is now selling for around Taka 1,200, medium-sized fish for Taka 900 and smaller ones for Taka 600.

Golam Mostafa Chowdhury, president of the District Trawler Owners' Association, blamed the declining catch partly on the widespread use of illegal small-mesh nets that capture juvenile fish before they mature.

Bad weather has compounded the crisis. With rough seas forcing hundreds of trawlers back to shore, many fishermen who borrowed heavily to finance fishing trips now face mounting financial pressure.

According to the District Fisheries Office, about 27,000 marine fishermen and 26,000 river fishermen receive government incentives during official fishing bans. However, thousands of unregistered fishermen remain outside the government support programme and receive no assistance.

Officials estimated that Barguna has about 48,600 registered fishermen while another 30,000 to 40,000 remain unregistered. Only 30 registered fishermen in the district are women.

Local fishermen said that operating a single trawler trip costs nearly Taka 100,000, making it increasingly difficult to repay loans when catches remain poor.

Fisheries experts attribute the decline to a combination of climate change, increasingly erratic weather, reduced river navigability and shifts in hilsa migration routes.

Patharghata Upazila Fisheries Officer Hasibul Haque said hundreds of trawlers are currently sheltered because of rough weather, adding that fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea until conditions improve.

District Fisheries Officer Mohammad Zia Uddin said the department is continuing enforcement against illegal fishing gear while urging greater public awareness to protect juvenile hilsa and breeding fish during the spawning season.