A large hilsa weighing 2 kg 100 g, caught by fishermen in the Bay of Bengal off Kuakata in Patuakhali, has sold for Tk 6,825.

The fish was caught on the morning of Saturday, 4 July, by a fishing trawler named 'Joltorongo' and was sold by auction at a wholesale depot at the Alipur fish landing centre.

Kader Majhi, a fisherman on the trawler, said the large hilsa came up in the net with other fish when they went to sea after the 58-day government fishing ban ended. It was brought to M/s Anisha Enterprise fish depot at the Alipur landing centre, where a local retail trader named Rahman bought it at auction.

Kader Majhi said he was very happy to get such a large hilsa so early after going back to sea when the ban ended. It was the biggest of the fish caught by the trawler. Although there are comparatively fewer fish in the sea this year, he said he was content with what Allah had given.

Mehedi Hasan, manager of M/s Anisha Enterprise fish depot, said: "Because of its large size, the fish sold at the rate of Tk 1,30,000 a maund. The total sale price of this 2 kg 100 g hilsa came to Tk 6,825."

Apu Saha, senior fisheries officer of Kalapara upazila, said: "Large hilsa being caught is undoubtedly good news for fishermen. Big hilsa are being found in coastal areas as well as the deep sea. Hilsa production is gradually rising. I hope that if supply increases further in the coming days, hilsa prices will also come down to a bearable level."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.