Kuakata, Oct 09 (V7N) — A massive hilsa weighing 2.28 kg was caught in a fishing net near Char Vijay in the Bay of Bengal, bringing good news for local fishermen. The prized fish was caught by fisherman Md. Almach Majhi , who brought it ashore on Tuesday morning along with his other catch to the Kuakata fish market. The hilsa was sold for a maximum of Tk 6,840 through mail order.

Speaking about the catch, Almach Majhi noted that hilsa has become less common in the sea recently, but when available, they tend to be larger in size. "No one else has caught such a big hilsa in this area this year. I sold the fish along with other marine fish," he said.

Md. Hasan , director of Fish Valley , the company that purchased the fish through mail, said, "We don't usually get such big hilsa in this market. The fish will be sent to Dhaka, and we hope to sell it at a good price."

Apu Saha , Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer, expressed optimism, stating that larger hilsa catches are becoming more frequent both in the deep sea and sub-ocean areas. "This is a direct result of the government's biannual ban on hilsa fishing, which has allowed the fish population to recover and grow. Big hilsa like this are a positive sign for the fishing community," he added.

The catch of this rare, large-sized hilsa has created excitement among local fishermen, with hopes that similar catches will follow in the coming weeks.

END/UKH/AJ