Fishermen net rare fish weighing over 2.5 quintal off Paradip coast

Jagatsinghpur: Fishermen have caught a rare fish weighing more than 2.5 quintal in sea off Pradip coast in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur.

As per reports, a group of fishermen had gone for fishing in country boats in the sea from Pradip in the morning. The fishermen of a boat found a huge fish caught in their net later in the day. With the help of other fishermen, they managed to drag the fish to the boat.

“This is a species of fish that is rarely netted in this area. It is locally called Kakuli or Shankar. It comes to shallow water only after getting adult and gaining big size,” said a trader in Paradip fish market.

“This fish does not have much demand among the local people for not so good taste. But it has high medicinal value,” he added.

Since Kakuli fish does not fetch high price in the local market, the fishermen have taken it to Digha in West Bengal for sale. Digha fish market attracts pharmaceutical companies to purchase the species having medicinal value.

Considering the size and age of the fish, the one netted by the fishermen is expected to be auctioned for more than Rs 1 lakh, he said.