Fishermen of Noakhali and Laximpur costal districts have been frustrated by scanty catch of hilsa in the Bay in this peak season.
Every year around this time, the fishermen net a large quantity of hilsa; but this year they are not getting expected quantity of fish. The tasty, oily fish is normally available in the Bay of Bengal, and the Padma and the Meghna rivers round the year; but the fishermen wait for the rainy season to set in for a bounty.
Wholesalers now see small arrival of the fish at landing terminals of Ramgati, Gabtoli, Alexander, Selter Ghat, Panir Ghat, Motir Ghat, Batir Khal, Boga Ghat and Lodua Ghat. Fish venders are passing days in uncertainty.
Ramgati upazila fisheries officer Jahangir Hossain said strong current and tidal surge might be the reasons behind the fall in hilsa catch.
Jamal  Maji of Chairman Ghat said: “We have sailed into the Bay, remained there for about 15 days  and come back with two to three maunds of hilsa. Whereas, we  netted 15 to 20 maunds of hilsa during the same period last year. Now, it will hardly meet our fuel cost.”
Fisherman Mizanur Rahman said his earning has dropped sharply due to the poor catch of hilsa. He said he is facing difficulties in buying food for his family members.
Fisherman Mohan Miah said: “I am worried about repayment of the loan that I have borrowed from money lenders.”
Enayetullah  of  Ramgati Ghat said previously they used to get abundant hilsa in the Meghna River, but this year there is no sight of it.
 Kabir Hossain of Hatiya Nalchera Ghat said he did never see such scarcity of fish in the past 20 years.
Ice factory owner Abu Jafar at Chairman Ghat said: “The demand for ice has fallen sharply as fishermen are not buying it.”  “We live only by selling ice to fishermen; but now we have no income.”
 When contacted, Noakhali Upakul Fisheries Samity general secretary Jasimuddin said 30 marginal fish traders are engaged in North Hatiya upazila during the hilsha season, when each of them is provided with loan amounting to Tk 35,000 to Tk 50,000 against one maund of hilsa at 18 per cent interest. A fisherman normally catches 3 to 4 maunds of hilsha of different size, he said.
Hakim Ali, a trawler owner of Chairman Ghat said: “I have received Tk 45,000 as loan from money lenders for a six-month period on two conditions. First, a fisherman should get a minimum of one maund of hilsha, and secondly, they must pay 18 percent interest. If they fail to meet these conditions they will not get loan anymore.”
 Some fishermen at Hatiya Ghat said this week, they caught only 50 to 60 hilsa of different sizes against the demand for 30 maunds in Chittagong and Dhaka markets. In the previous year during this period, nearly 7 trucks loaded with hilsa were sent to Chittagong and Dhaka. The district Fisheries Officer Bilkis Tahmina hoped that the fishermen might get sufficient hilsha from the Bay now as rains have started.
 In Noakhali region, there are 15,722 registered fishermen.