2.3kg hilsa sells for Tk 8,510 at auction
Photo: Agamir Somoy
A fisherman named Nabi Hossain caught a large hilsa weighing 2.3 kilograms in the Bay of Bengal near Kuakata in Patuakhali after a 22-day fishing ban ended. The fish was sold for Tk 8,510 at an auction at the Kuakata Municipal Fish Market at a rate of Tk 145,000 per maund.
The fish was brought to the wholesale market on Friday afternoon. Local fish trader Zainal Gharami purchased it at the auction. News of the unusually large hilsa and its price sparked curiosity among local buyers and tourists.
According to local sources, Zainal Gharami, proprietor of Gharami Fish in Kuakata, bought the fish at the auction. He said he would prepare it for export. Earlier, on Wednesday, he had purchased another hilsa weighing 2 kilograms for Tk 7,400.
Nabi Hossain, a fisherman aboard the trawler that caught the fish, said they regularly fish in the sea. This was the first time they had caught a large hilsa since the 22-day fishing ban ended. Along with smaller hilsa, catching such a large fish had brought them a good price. Fishermen benefit financially when they catch fish of this size. They were happy to have sold it at a good price.
Meanwhile, the steep price of large hilsa is putting it beyond the reach of ordinary consumers. Although many buyers and tourists expressed interest in seeing and purchasing the large fish after it arrived at the market, many could not afford it because of the high price.
Mirazul Hasan, a local resident, said, “Hilsa is our national fish. Everyone wishes to eat large hilsa. But at current prices, hilsa has become almost a dream for middle-class families like ours. I wanted to buy the fish but could not afford it because of the high price.”
Gharami said, “The quantity of fish in the sea is low. Most of the fish being caught are small hilsa. Large hilsa are not available all the time. Considering the fish’s weight and quality, I bought it for Tk 8,500. Buyers are interested in large hilsa. I hope I will be able to sell it at a good price.”
Dr Rajib Sarkar, a professor in the Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics under the Faculty of Fisheries at Patuakhali Science and Technology University, said fishermen were catching large hilsa after fishing activities resumed in the sea following the 22-day ban. Suspending fishing during the breeding season creates an opportunity for positive impacts on hilsa reproduction and population growth. However, catching a single large hilsa does not establish that overall hilsa production has increased. Long-term research and analysis of fish catch statistics are necessary to determine production and availability.
Kalapara Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Zahirunnabi said catching large hilsa was a matter of joy for fishermen. Government fish conservation initiatives play an important role in ensuring hilsa production and reproduction. Therefore, fishermen must comply with fishing regulations and properly observe the designated fishing bans to protect hilsa reproduction and growth.
