In Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, 687 red coral fish have been caught in a fisherman’s net. These fish were sold for 10 lakh taka.
The fish were caught on Wednesday afternoon in the trawler of Mohammad Zakaria, a resident of Mistripara in Shahparir Dwip, Teknaf.
It is known that the trawler, owned by Mohammad Zakaria, set out from the Mistripara fishing dock in Shahparir Dwip heading towards the Bay of Bengal. Under the leadership of the captain, Abul Kalam, nine crew members were on board.
The trawler anchored in the Saint Martin Channel on the northern side of Saint Martin Island, where they cast the net. A large number of red coral fish were caught in the net on Wednesday afternoon. Each fish weighed between 1.5 to 4 kg. The trawler returned to the Mistripara fishing dock in Shahparir Dwip before evening with the fish.
Mohammad Zakaria stated that of the 687 fish caught, 10 were kept, and the remaining 677 were sold. Initially, the fish were priced at 24,000 taka per mound, but later sold at 23,000 taka per mound.
Local fish trader Rahim Ullah said the fish were preserved with ice at the Mistripara fishing dock. They will be sent to markets in Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong. Due to their delicious taste, coral or vetki fish have a high demand across the country. Since they are deep-sea fish, they are not always available in the market, resulting in higher prices.
Mohammad Hasan, President of the Shahparir Dwip Mistripara Fishing Boat Owners Association, said that fish had not been available in the sea for a while, but good catches began on Wednesday. Other fishermen are also preparing to cast nets in the Saint Martin Channel to catch red coral fish.
Teknaf’s Senior Fisheries Officer Umul Fara Begum Tajkira said, “Coral or vetki fish are highly delicious, which is why there is demand across the country. Due to the breeding season and the government’s regulations, large coral fish are currently available in the sea.”
