The survey conducted on 450 families in three upazilas of Chandpur district by Actionaid also revealed that a large number of fishermen are still using the 'current' net to catch fish as they do not get the opportunity of alternative work or any financial help that was supposed to be provided by the government.

The study was presented at a discussion titled 'Preservation of fish and the dialogue of the fishermen' that was jointly organised by Channel i, the Saptahik 2000 and Actionaid at the seminar room of Local Government Engineering Department at Agargaon in the capital.

As the government has imposed a ban on catching all kinds of fish in March and April and Jatka (young hilsha) from November to May, the fishermen become unemployed for a certain period of time when they badly need an alternative income source.

"During the last three months I received only Tk 200 and 10 kg of rice and so I could not comply with the government's decision," Nurunnabi, a fisherman of Bhola, said adding that they need training to pursue an alternative job for survival.

The fishermen at the discussion said they use current net to catch fish as it is less costly than thread net and also because smaller fish can be caught with it.

But in doing so, they face repression by the law enforcers, they said.

Since March 10 this year, current nets worth Tk 93.14 crore were burnt, which was Tk 56.79 crore more than that of last year, the study said, adding that the number of affected fishermen this year is less than that of 2006, but the amount of loss is greater.

Almost all the fishermen families are debt-ridden, while the average loan stands at Tk 25, 836 and 40.7 per cent of them take loan from different non-government organisations, it said.

The study recommended taking development programmes for the fishermen with their active participation, ensuring government services and proper training in different small businesses, and providing permanent settlement of khas land for their livelihoods.

The recommendations also include reaching the government orders and regulations to the fishermen through upazila fisheries office, ending production and distribution of current nets, training the concerned law enforcers including the taskforce members and providing identity cards for the fishermen and licences for the fishing boats.

Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Dr CS Karim, who attended the programme as the chief guest, said the fishermen's requirements should be determined by analysing the real picture of their lives and they should be provided help considering their skill.

Head of News of Channel i Shykh Shiraj, acting Editor of the Saptahik 2000 Golam Mortoja, Interim Country Director of Actionaid Shoyeb Siddiqui also spoke, among others.