Power shortage leaves hilsa trawlers idle in Patuakhali

At least 200 hilsa trawlers are trapped in Patuakhali due to a shortage of ice due to power outages.This is peak time of year for hilsa.

Some 200 fishing trawlers are sitting idle at the Mahipur and Alipur fish landing centers in Patuakhali during the peak of the hilsa season due to a severe ice scarcity brought on by extended load shedding.

The production of local ice factories has decreased due to frequent power outages, leaving supplies well below demand. Many trawlers have been unable to head out to sea for the past week as fishermen need sufficient ice to preserve their catch during fishing trips.

There are twenty ice factories that supply the two landing centres.

“Load shedding was happening ten or twelve times a day in the region. Freezing ice from water requires 12 to 14 hours of uninterrupted electricity. But frequent load shedding disrupts the process, reducing production at local factories. As a result, we are also unable to supply ice according to fishermen’s demand,” said Md Fazlu Gazi, owner of Gazi Ice Plant in Mahipur.

Local fishermen claim that they are compelled to transport ice by truck from Barishal, Bagerhat, and Khulna. If supplies did not return to normal, it would have a direct impact on fish harvesting and marketing. Ice prices had risen, yet supply was still insufficient to meet demand.