Big hilsa haul fetches Tk 30m in Alipur

Nearly 100 maunds of hilsa were caught in a single haul in the Bay of Bengal near Kuakata, with the fish later fetching around Tk 3 million at an auction in Alipur.

When the fishing trawler returned to the Alipur-Mohipur fishing port on Wednesday afternoon with the huge quantity of hilsa, fishermen, wholesalers and traders were delighted.

According to local sources, the trawler FB Abdullah, carrying 15 fishermen led by skipper Badsha Mia, set out for deep-sea fishing a day earlier. The crew took provisions and other supplies worth around Tk 150,000 with them.

After spending a day at sea, the fishermen cast their nets near the western buoy and caught a large quantity of hilsa. The trawler later returned to the Alipur-Mohipur fishing port with the catch.

Around 90 to 100 maunds of hilsa were subsequently sold through a day-long auction at Sifat Fish in Alipur. The total value of the fish was approximately Tk 3 million.

Trawler skipper Badsha Mia said hilsa had been scarce in the sea for a long time. However, they suddenly caught a huge quantity of hilsa after casting their nets in the western buoy area. He said the fish were relatively small in size.

Mizanur Rahman, a fish trader at Sifat Fish, said that a trawler suddenly arrived at the landing point carrying 90 to 100 maunds of hilsa.

The fish were sold through a day-long auction, generating transactions worth around Tk 3 million. He expressed hope that if hilsa continue to be caught regularly in such quantities, fish traders will be able to repay their previous debts and their businesses will regain momentum.

Kalapara Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Apu Saha said that there had been a shortage of hilsa in the sea for some time due to the effects of climate change.

“At present, however, fishermen are catching hilsa in large numbers,” he said, adding that the catch could increase further if there is rainfall. This would benefit everyone involved in the hilsa trade, including fishermen and traders.

The Alipur-Mohipur fishing port is one of the country’s major marine fish landing centres, where various species of marine fish are bought and sold every day.

The catching of such a large quantity of hilsa at once after a long period has renewed hope among local fishermen, wholesalers and traders. Those involved in the sector hope that if the abundance of hilsa continues, fish trading will regain further momentum during the current season.