PARADIP: Fish lovers had a great time on Saturday as their favourite Hilsa flooded the local markets here, following a bumper catch. The rush for Hilsa led to traffic jam as traders and commoners from Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur and Cuttack thronged the local markets here.
“Hilsa weighing 1 kg or more is now available between `200 and ` 300 per kg as per size. Now, these fishes have been supplied to different markets of Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Jajpur districts,” said Harekrushna Behera, a fish vendor at Atharbanki market.
“ I bought more than 1 kg of hilsa for just `250 from Atharbanki market,” said Pradosh Sahu, a buyer. The monsoon catch of the fish had come down drastically last week. The prices had shot up to `800 to `1,000 per kg, while the bigger varieties were being sold at `1,500 to `1,800 per kg.
Fishermen faced a tough time in April and May as there was a 45- day-long ban on fishing in view of Olive Ridley turtles’ breeding season. Their hardships continued even after the fishing activities resumed in June due to bad weather and the dwindling population of Hilsa. But things have changed in the past two to three days, bringing relief to the fishing community. “We caught several quintals of the fish today. Last week, we returned empty-handed. But today, each trawler brought 100 kg to 120 kg of Hilsa after each trip,” said Jagnnath Reddy, a fisherman. Reportedly, local fishermen netted 50 to 60 tonnes of the fish on Saturday.