Protected 280kg Stingray Caught and Sold Openly in Noakhali Hatiya

A massive stingray weighing seven maunds, equivalent to 280 kilograms, has been caught in the nets of local fishermen operating in the Meghna River under Hatiya upazila of Noakhali district. The colossal marine creature was brought ashore on Wednesday afternoon to the bustling Chairmanghat area, drawing significant attention from locals and market-goers alike.

Upon arrival at the coastal landing site, the protected stingray was taken to the local fish-landing depot operated by Jamal Member. According to eyewitness accounts provided by Abdul Bari, who visited Chairmanghat on Wednesday afternoon, the giant fish was put up for a public auction at the depot and successfully sold for approximately 90,000 taka.

Following the auction, the buyer proceeded to cut the protected animal into smaller pieces right at the scene. These portions of the endangered marine animal were subsequently sold off locally to interested residents who had gathered around the marketplace to witness the unusual catch.

The incident has drawn attention to the legal status of the species. Harun-Or-Rashid noted that while the fisheries protection and conservation laws do not directly prohibit the catching of stingrays, the creature is classified as an endangered or extinct species under wildlife and forest conservation laws, making its capture, procurement, and sale entirely illegal.

According to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), stingrays comprise a total of 16 distinct species worldwide. Within Bangladesh's waters, between eight to ten of these species are typically found, with current assessments indicating that two of these species are critically endangered while another three face significant conservation threats.