Hilsa returns to Barishal markets 24 hours after fishing ban lifted

Jhatka costs Tk 9,000-10,000 per maund while the larger kilogram sized hilsa sells for Tk 64,000 per maund.

TVS report

November 04, 2024, 14:55

Last modified: November 04, 2024, 15:20

Traders sell Hilsa fish at a market in Barishal on Monday, November 4, 2024. Photo: TBS

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Traders sell Hilsa fish at a market in Barishal on Monday, November 4, 2024. Photo: TBS

Less than 24 hours after the fishing ban was lifted, the prized delicacy hilsa is back in Barishal markets in limited quantities and at inflated prices.

Local markets including Port Road Fish Landing Centre, Bangla Bazar and Rupatali Bazar today (November 4) witnessed a surge in demand for hilsa on the first day after the ban was lifted. However, the fish are smaller than usual.

Fish traders report that the smaller hilsa, weighing around 400-500 grams, sells for between Tk 12,000 and Tk 14,000 per maund (approximately 37 kilograms).

Jhatka, a premature hilsa, sells for Tk 9,000 to Tk 10,000 per maund, while the larger kg fish sells for Tk 64,000 per maund.

Traders attributed the high prices to several factors.

Mohammad Rubel, a trader at the Port Road Fish Landing Centre, said the fish currently available are mostly caught from nearby rivers and some are even older and frozen stocks. “Limited supply compared to strong demand prevents prices from falling.”

Harun, another seller, also confirmed the source of fish at the market, saying most fishing boats had not yet set sail and it would take another four or five days for the new season’s catch to arrive.

Lokman Hossain, a fish seller from Bhola, claims that some fishermen caught and preserved hilsa during the ban and are now bringing it to the market. “I bought some of this fish myself from local fishermen.”

A 22-day ban on catching, selling, storing and transporting hilsa, which began on October 13, ended yesterday at midnight.

Sabina Yasmin, a Bangla Bazar shopper, expressed disappointment over the high prices and the lack of larger fish. “I expected supply to increase and prices to decrease once the ban ended.”

Belal, a customer at Rupatali Bazar, expressed concern about the quality of fish available. “Most fish are small in size. Few large fish have red eyes, which clearly means they were caught during the ban, stored somewhere, and now released into the market after the ban was lifted.”

“Since there is no fresh catch yet, I am buying another fish today. I will come back later to buy hilsa,” he said.

Bimol Chandra Das, fisheries officer (hilsa) of Barisal district, attributed the limited stock of large hilsa to the recent breeding season. “The smaller size of the fish indicates that a large number of hilsa must have spawned during the ban,” he explained.

He also noted, “Intense anti-fishing operations during the ban may have deterred fishermen from catching hilsa. However, once larger fishing vessels return from the sea with their catch, we can expect prices to decline.”