Fishermen beam while carrying hilsa from trawlers to a wholesale market in Patharghata upazila of Barguna district yesterday as recent good catches, after a few weeks of 'dull period' during the ongoing hilsa catching season, bring joy to the fishermen and traders (left).
Huge quantity of hilsa arrives at Mohipur wholesale market in Patuakhali district yesterday as fishermen have started getting large catches of the popular fish in the Bay (right).Photo: STAR
Two and a half months into the beginning of hilsa season, fishermen have started getting good catches of the popular fish off the coasts of Patuakhali and Barguna districts.
Fish landing stations at Mohipur and Alipur in Patuakhali and Pathorghata in Barguna district are now buzzing with activities of fishermen and traders as trawlers loaded with hilsa are returning from the Bay.
May to October is the period for hilsa catching while there is ban on netting the popular fish from November 1 to April 30, said fisheries officials.
Over 500 fishing trawlers from coastal districts Patuakhali and Barguna sailed for deep sea to catch hilsa after the end of the ban period to hilsa catching on May 1. But this season saw very poor catches till mid-July.
The situation, however, saw a change in the second half of this month when fishermen started getting plenty of hilsa fish.
During the last ten days, over 400 tonnes of hilas came from the Bay in an average daily, said fishing trawler owners and fish traders in Mohipur and Pathorghata.
But the amount of catches for two and a half months since beginning of the season was only 20-50 tonnes daily, they added.
Hilsa worth Tk 2.30 lakh and Tk 2.80 lakh were sold from fishing trawlers FB Sobhan and FB Mizan on Saturday, said Fazlu Gazi, president of Fish Traders Association in Mohipur.
"Wholesalers, fishermen and labourers are passing very busy time as plenty of hilsa is being netted. Eight to 10 trawlers loaded with hilsa from the Bay are coming to Pathorghata daily since July 16. We are very happy as plenty of hilsa is netting for a week," said Golam Mostafa, president of Barguna fishing trawler owners association.
Price of hilsa is also decreasing in the local markets as plenty of hilsa is being netted. Its price in wholesale markets in Patuakhali now range between Tk 350 to 400 per kg depending on size.
When visited local fish market on Sunday, this correspondent saw one maund (40 kgs) hilsa fish that over 1 kg weight per hilsa sold at Tk 11,000 to 12,000 per maund.
But one month ago, those fish sold at Tk 15,000 to Tk 16,000. Less than one kg hilsa sold at Tk 10,000 to 11,500 while Tk 11,500 to 12,000 sold per maund last month. Now per kg hilsa is selling at Tk 350 to 400 in the local market but in last month that price was Tk 450 to 600.
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