A shortage of marine fish has emerged in Cox’s Bazar as the number of fishing trawlers returning from the deep sea has dropped sharply over the past two to three days, disrupting supplies to local markets.
On Thursday morning (January 15), not a single trawler from the Bay of Bengal had docked at the Fisheries Ghat in Nuniachar. As a result, ghat-dependent labourers were seen idling, while wholesale buyers returned empty-handed because there was no fish.
Although river and project fish are available in the markets, unusually high prices have added to consumers’ difficulties, traders said.
People in the fishing sector said that fishing becomes more difficult in Poush due to winter conditions at sea. Fishermen often wait longer offshore and return to the ghat only after securing a satisfactory catch.
A small boatman said that the cold has intensified, and fish are scarce in the nets. ‘No trawler has arrived for two or three days, so we have had no income,’ he said. ‘We operate small boats to transport fish from trawlers, and that is how our families survive.’
Ashraful Hasan Rishad, an official of a local fish marketing company named Sagorkoinna, said the absence of trawlers has created a shortage of marine fish in the market.
‘Despite strong demand, fresh marine fish are not available. The shortage has increased this week,’ he said, adding that he expected supply to normalise within a few days,’ he added.
According to the Cox’s Bazar Fishing Boat Owners’ Association, the district has more than 5,000 fishing trawlers.
The association’s general secretary, Mohammad Delwar Hossain, said winter conditions have affected even deep-sea fishing. Currently, over 1,000 trawlers are at sea. He said they are not returning because their catch is less than expected. ‘Once the trawlers start coming back, the shortage will ease.’
The reduced supply of marine fish has also affected market prices. While fish such as hilsa, tilapia, and rohu are available, traders said prices remain high due to the overall shortage.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Mohammad Morshed
