The price of ilish fish is coming down as the largest wholesale Boro Station Market in Chandpur is flooded with catches.
After a 65-day ban on fishing in the Bay ended on July 23, the market is abuzz with the presence of fishermen, traders and workers.
On a recent visit, UNB found a large number of fishing trawlers and trucks coming to the fisheries ghat carrying ilish netted from the coastal areas of Bhola, Hatia, Char Fesson, Lakshmipur and adjacent areas.
Locals were busy loading and unloading the catches at the ghat.
Traders said a total of 500 maunds of fish reached the market, forcing them to lower the price of ilish due to abundant supply.
A one-kilogram ilish is being sold at Tk1,800, which was Tk2,200 before, while a fish weighing 500-750 grams is being sold at Tk1,200-Tk1,300 which was Tk1,500 before.
Bari Manik Jamadar, president of Chandpur Fish Traders Association, said the supply of ilish has increased over the last three days but not as much as in the previous year.
Several traders said some dishonest fishermen netted jatka (ilish fry), which negatively impacts catches.
Dr Md Anisur Rahman, an expert at the Chandpur Fisheries Research Institute, said: “River water has degraded due to climate change, pollution and unabated sand lifting. We should save the rivers. Besides, the natural movement of fish has been disrupted due to sandbanks.”
He also hoped for satisfactory catches of ilish in the coming days during the full moon.