Kolkata: After the ban period on catching ‘khoka ilish’ was lifted on Friday after two months, the fishermen in East Midnapore and South 24-Parganas are set to venture into the sea.
The fishermen from South 24-Parganas’ Kakdwip, Namkhana, Diamond Harbour, Bakhhali, Raidighi and East Midnapore’s Shankarpur, Tajpur, Digha have already made all the arrangements in their trawlers. They are examining if all the necessary safety measures like life jackets are in place.
People eagerly await the arrival of hilsa to adorn their plates with this popular fish. However, they are often disappointed at the beginning of the season as the available hilsa does not match their desired size and price. Despite the efforts of fisheries authorities, administration, the situation has been alarming and the illegal catching of small hilsa continues.
Hilsa weighing between 150 gm and 250 gm is being sold in the markets.
The Bengal government, every year, implements a ban on marine fishing for two months from April 15 to June 14 to control fishing in the deep sea. Despite a government ban on catching ‘khoka ilish’ (small hilsa), the city’s markets are often flooded with juvenile Hilsa
weighing less than 200 gm, which has led to disappointment among hilsa traders and fishermen in Kolkata and its surro
unding markets. Considering the gravity of the situation, the state Fisheries department is trying to ensure that the ban is enforced.