The Assam fisheries department has issued an advisory to deputy commissioners of four districts on measures to improve hilsa production and prevent excess fishing to ensure its conservation. The advisory to Dhubri, Goalpara, South Salmara-Mankachar and Bongaigaon districts has banned fishing in different stretches of the Brahmaputra between October and December and April and June to allow the young hilsa, locally called jatka, which are less than 23cm in length, to return to the sea. In the past, hilsa was not harvested between Dashami and Saraswati puja (October to January) as it is the time when juvenile fish born upstream make their way to the sea. But fishermen have been ignoring calls to leave the jatka alone to repopulate the species since the demand for hilsa has been growing. Global warming has also led to gradual depletion of hilsa breeding grounds, reducing its population further. The advent of fine fishing nets and environmental degradation of the rivers has worsened the situation. Acting on the advisory, the Dhubri administration has issued a directive to the district fishery development officer to create awareness and carry out raids, if necessary, to prevent excess fishing of jatka. Appreciating the initiative of the fisheries department, fish lovers of Dhubri have urged the authority concerned to organise a hilsa festival in the town. “Since the past couple of years, the availability of hilsa in Dhubri markets has risen. Hence, not only fish lovers but traders from outside are thronging the markets to buy hilsa in large quantities. Therefore, it will be better to organise a fish festival in Dhubri,” a schoolteacher said. A few months ago, the price of hilsa had shot up to Rs 800 to Rs 900 per kg but the easy availability of hilsa in the Brahmaputra in Dhubri district, has led to the prices dropping to Rs 250 from Rs 450 per kg.