Bangladesh Navy has seized 11 boats with 450,000 meters of illegal hilsa nets, 1,200 meters of other nets and 2,000 kilograms of fish worth of over Tk 127.1 million during their drives.

Bangladesh Navy ship `BNS Shaheed Farid` intercepted the fishing boats on Friday while patrolling the Cox`s Bazar area of the Bay of Bengal, said an ISPR press release on Saturday.

Bangladesh Navy has been conducting special drives in the sea and the coastal areas to help implement the government`s order to ban on all types of fishing by vessels and to prevent the destruction of Jatka (juvenile hilsa) for 58 day to ensuring smooth breeding and production of fish and to conserve marine resources within Bangladesh`s maritime boundaries, the release said.

During the drive, 120 fishermen were also arrested. Later, the seized boats, fish and nets, along with the fishermen were handed over to the Bangladesh Coast Guard at Maheshkhali.

In the ongoing operation, illegal nets, Jatka and fishing nest worth about Tk 1724.842 million have been seized so far. Navy is working sincerely to conserve the country`s marine resources, protect biodiversity and ensure sustainable fish production, the release said.