At only 20 tonnes, Hilsa first catch of the season ‘disappointing’

Kolkata: The season’s first catch of Hilsa fish at Kakdwip in South 24-Parganas and Digha in East Midnapore has been disappointing as trawlers who ventured into the sea soon after the lifting of two months’ fishing ban on June 15 returned expecting better luck next time.

“The fishermen who have ventured in the deep sea with the hope of netting Hilsa have managed a haul of only 20 tonnes. Last year when they returned with their first haul, the catch was around 70 tonnes. The rain has just set in and the easterly winds are also eluding. So, the catch has not been much,” said Bijan Maity of West Bengal United Fishermen Association in Kakdwip. Maity, however, expressed hope that with the monsoon arriving in South Bengal, the second netting of fishermen will yield better results when it comes to catching Hilsa. However, despite of the poor catch, fish markets in Kakdwip — Namkhana, Diamond Harbour — raked in mollah with Ilish weighing 600-700 gm selling at Rs 1500 per kg as the fish-loving Bengalis did not miss the opportunity of tickling their taste buds with the first haul of the season.

A wholesaler at Nagendrabazar fish market in Diamond Harbour also sounded optimistic. “The catch has been less but the sizes of the Hilsa that have been netted are good. We are hopeful of better haul this monsoon,” he added.

Meanwhile, one of the trawlers with 18 fishermen on board capsized while returning from their fishing activity. The trawler named MV Raj Narayan sank but the fishermen were saved with another trawler MV Saptarshi Narayan coming to their rescue. They have all returned safely to the shore. However, the news in Digha has been extremely disappointing with very poor netting of the Hilsa.

“The erratic weather, absence of easterly winds and scanty rainfall has not created suitable conditions for the Hilsa and so they have eluded the fishermen.

However, netting of pomfret and shrimp has been extremely good,” said Shyam Sundar Das of Digha Fishermen and Fish Traders Association. Das added that last year the catch was 1.5 tonnes during the first venture into the sea but this time it has been very negligible.