Cashing in on Hilsa: Kalapara fisherman nets 60 maunds, earns Tk35 lakh
Fisheries officials are hopeful that the situation will improve with the weather
A fisherman from Kalapara upazila in Patuakhali hauled in over 60 maunds of hilsa in a single day—selling the prized catch for Tk35.5 lakh at auction.
Trawler owner Jahangir Hossain set out to sea four days ago and struck lucky near the final buoy of Payra Port in the Bay of Bengal. "We continued fishing for two more days before returning to shore. Yesterday, we brought the catch to the Alipur fish landing station and sold the hilsa caught on the first day through auction," he told reporters, today (7 August) morning.
While most of the hilsa were relatively small in size, Jahangir noted that sea catches have generally been more fruitful than river hauls in recent weeks.
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The fresh influx of fish has sparked cautious optimism among traders. Jalil Hawlader, a wholesaler at the Alipur landing station, said, "Though the fish are on the smaller side, it's encouraging to finally see hilsa coming in. Monsoon is supposed to be the peak season—so the scarcity until now has been worrying."
Fisheries officials are hopeful that the situation will improve with the weather.
Kalapara Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Apu Saha said, "Hilsa are appearing in fishing nets again. If rainfall continues and weather conditions remain favourable, we can expect a steady supply in the coming days."
With Bangladesh's beloved national fish making a cautious return to the markets, hopes are rising across the coastal region for a more fruitful hilsa season ahead.
