Hilsa glut after fishing ban ends

Hilsa started flooding the fish markets in Bagergat and Patuakhali as the government lifted its ban on netting fish in the Bay of Bengal on July 23.

As a result, the price of the fish also went down significantly, reported our correspondents.

Fishes weighting between 500 grammes and 1 kilogramme were being sold between Tk 450 and Tk 600. The same fishes were sold between Tk 750 and Tk 900 in districts’ wholesale markets a few days ago, told traders.

The two coastal districts cater for mass production and marketing of Hilsa and other deep sea fishes in the country.

Vising Alipur and Mohipur fishing ports, two of the largest fishing ports in Patuakhali, our correspondent found that fishermen and traders were quite happy with the fish they got from the Bay.

Abul Kasem, a fisherman of Chottagram’s Banskhali area, said they had netted plenty of Hilsa and would return to the Bay after selling his catch in the market.

Kalam Sharif, a fisherman of Patuakhali’s Mohipur area, said he had to live in hardship during the ban but he was happy as he could net huge chunks of Hilsa.

Golam Mostafa, a fish trader at Mohipur fishing port, said the price of Hilsa would further fall in the markets across the country if fishermen keep getting the same amount of Hilsa.

Another fish trader in the market said at least 50 fishing trawlers, loaded with Hilsa, landed in the port within six hours.

Fazlu Gazi, president of fish traders association in Mohipur, said the size of the Hilsa they were getting was larger than before.

Meanwhile, KB Ghat market, the main fishing market in Bagerhat, was also upbeat.

Fishermen were returning from the Bay with trawlers full of fishes, reported our Bagerhat correspondent.

Traders of the market said about 25 fishing trawlers returned from the sea in the last two days.

Akkas Ali, a fisherman at KB Ghat, said netting large numbers of Hilsa was a big relief for the fishermen as they feared that they would not be able to repay their loans from different NGOs and Mohajons, survive the 65-day ban period.

District Fisheries Officer Khaled Konk said fishermen have started getting the benefits of the ban. “Now they are catching silver Hilsha in large numbers.”

The government imposed a 65-day long ban on fishing in the Bay that came to an end on July 23.