Kuakata's Expensive Fish
'Black Poa' sells at half a lakh taka
Photo: Agamir Somoy
A fisherman's net in Kuakata, Patuakhali, has caught a black poa fish weighing approximately 8 kg. The fish, locally known as "Lambu poa" or "Kalo poa" (black poa or (Pama Croaker), was sold at auction at the Alipur Fish Landing Center on Sunday morning for Tk 50,000.
It is known that fisherman Rahim Miah went fishing in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Kuakata on Saturday night. Along with other fish, his net caught this black poa weighing about 8 kg.
On Sunday morning, when the fish was put up for auction at the Alipur fish port, PM Musa, proprietor of Kuakata Fresh Fish, bought it for a total of Tk 50,000 at a rate of Tk 6,250 per kilogram.
Fisherman Rahim Miah said, "After the 58-day government ban ended, I went to sea and caught a valuable fish. I am very happy. Catching such a fish makes our hard work worthwhile."
Buyer PM Musa said that he collects various types of marine fish and exports them abroad as well as to Dhaka. Since the swim bladder (fish maw) of the black poa is extremely valuable, the demand and price for this fish are very high in both domestic and international markets.
Apurba Saha, Senior Fisheries Officer of Kalapara Upazila, said, "The weight of this species usually ranges from 4 to 40 kg. Due to its high value, many refer to it as the 'black gold of the sea.'"
