Rare black croaker fish caught in Bay at Patuakhali, sold at auction for Tk80,000
The 4.9kg fish was landed at Alipur Fisheries Port and quickly sold through open auction for Tk80,000 — about Tk16,000 per kg,
A rare species of black croaker fish, locally known as "Black Diamond" or "Kalo Poa", was caught in a fisherman's net in the Bay of Bengal in Barishal's Patuakhali this morning (27 September).
The 4.9kg fish was landed at Alipur Fisheries Port and quickly sold through open auction for Tk80,000 — about Tk16,000 per kg, World Fish Bangladesh Research Assistant Md Bakhtiar Uddin told The Business Standard.
He explained that black croakers usually weigh between 10–25kg, though specimens over 50kg have been recorded. "They usually stay under mudflats and feed on small fish and shrimp," he said.
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Senior Fisheries Officer of Kalapara upazila, Apu Saha, said, "The market value of this species depends mainly on its air bladder. The recent 58-day fishing ban has had a positive impact, which is promising for the national economy."
Crowds gathered at the port to see the rare catch. The fish was purchased by PM Musa, owner of "Fresh Fish Kuakata," who said it would be prepared for export.
"Just last Wednesday, I bought another 4.5kg black croaker for Tk72,000. The demand in the international market is very high," he added.
According to fisheries experts, the fish (scientific name: Protonibea diacanthus), part of the Sciaenidae family, is prized for its air bladder, or swim bladder, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine and luxury cosmetics, fetching sky-high prices internationally.
It is typically found in coastal waters off Cox's Bazar, Maheshkhali, Saint Martin's, Patuakhali and Barishal.
