Hilsa price soars to Rs 800-1000 kg

Assistant director of fisheries,Paradip,said.

“It is a matter of concern as traditional marine fishermen from lower economic background are being mostly affected”,he said.

The drop has come as a major threat to the livelihood of over 5,000 fishermen in the coastal districts of Odisha. Besides the fishermen,daily earning of the weavers of fishing nets,traders,trading agents,ice factory owners has also waned,he said.

“The daily catch was at least 20 times higher last year. We are contending with the diminishing yield with the hope of better yield in the coming days,Narayan Haldar,

president,Orissa state traditional marine fish-workers union,said.

Experts are of the view that erratic monsoon and deficient rainfall have resulted in the disappearance of the itinerant Hilsa species.

As the discharge of water into sea is on a lower side due to fall in water level in rivers,the migration behaviour of Hilsa species has been disturbed. The fish species have not migrated to seawater on expected line. Once the water level in rivers rises,things would brighten up,Pattnaik said.

“It is not within the range of middle class and lower middle class buyers. So the limited catch is mostly being dispatched to the state capital and Cuttack,Atmaram

Rout,Paradip-based Hilsa trader,said.

The fisheries-regulated economy of the region has taken a severe beating for many factors. The seven-month-long prohibition (November 1 to May 31) on marine fishing had affected our livelihood. Sea fishing is now suspended in Paradip fishing harbour for dispute over price fixation with exporters. Now the drop in Hilsa yield has aggravated our plight,Radhashyam Mandal,a traditional sea fishermen,said.

Hilsa is a sensitive fish species. And its breeding ground is mostly concentrated in the confluence of river and oceanic waters. After being bred in fresh water,the fish

makes its way to sea water again.