The government's 58-day ban on catching hilsa ended at midnight on Wednesday (11 June). On the very first day after the ban was lifted, a single trawler caught 43 maunds of hilsa.

The fish were caught in the Bay of Bengal off Kuakata in Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali. They were later auctioned for Tk 20 lakh 62 thousand at Abdullah Fish in Alipur fish port on Thursday morning (12 June).

The trawler's majhi (skipper), Yunus Mia, said they set out for the deep sea with 19 fishermen on the trawler FB Tamanna at midnight on Wednesday. As soon as they cast their net in the Payra port area, the hilsa came up.

The owner of FB Tamanna, Yusuf (Company) Howlader, said: "I sent the trawler out on borrowed money. If it had not found fish at sea, I would have suffered a big loss. I thank Allah for such a catch right at the start."

Upazila senior fisheries officer Apu Saha said the ban was properly observed this year, so the fish bred well and there are plenty of fish at sea. That is why fishermen are catching more, he said, adding that he hoped coastal fishermen would make up for the losses of previous years.

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