Home ›› 11 Aug 2021 ›› Nation
The fishing community in Cox’s Bazar have expressed their satisfaction after netting of hilsa fish increased recently after the 65-day ban on fishing in the Bay ended on July 23.
Visiting the market, the fishermen – who went to the Bay of Bengal with their trawlers to net hilsa – were seen returning sooner than their estimated time and docking at the ghat (seaport) with massive catches of large hilsa.
They told The Business Post that they are happy with their catch and also securing a good profit from it as the price of the fish is high.
Fisherman Aman Ullah went to the Bay on August 4 with his trawler FB Aman for one week and returned on Tuesday morning, two days before his estimated time with his trawler loaded with hilsa.
He told The Business Post that not only him but other fishermen are also returning earlier as they are being able to catch hilsa in abundance.
Another fisherman of the trawler, Jamal Uddin said they were able to catch large hilsa weighing between 1 to 2.5 kgs.
Hilsa traders Mohammad Selim and Jasim Uddin told the Business Post that they are getting high prices for hilsa this season, which is a record compared to other years.
Fishes weighing under 1 kilogramme (kg) are being sold between Tk 1,100 and Tk 1k200, 1 kg to 2.5 kg hilsa are being sold for Tk 1,500 to Tk 2,000 at the market, confirmed Cox’s Bazar Fish Landing Center Manager Ehsanul Haque.
“We have sold 100 large hilsa for Tk 1,65,000 at the market on Sunday, which is itself a record this season,” said fish trader Mohammad Selim.
Delwar Hossain, general secretary of the District Fishing Boat Owners’ Association, said in addition to the 65-day ban, fishermen in this region could not go to sea for another 12 days due to the hostile weather.
He said that although the prices are high this season, they might go down significantly in the next few weeks.
