A delectable cross-border influx into Assam

Assam is known for its decades old opposition to influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh. But, there is another form of influx from the neighbouring country that the Assamese are not complaining about as it is adding to their gastronomic delight.

Thanks to two cyclones — Phailin in 2013 and Hudhud in 2014 — which are said to have shaken the ecology of the Bay of Bengal, hilsa fish, a prized delicacy, has started to swim upstream into the Brahmaputra in Assam during the breeding season from river Padma in Bangladesh.

According to experts, hilsa fish has changed its travel route and is reaching Western Assam’s Dhubri in large numbers, bringing cheer to the residents.

The arrival of hilsa, which is often hailed as the “Queen of fishes” and is known for its unique aroma, in large numbers has pulled down prices to unbelievable levels of `200 to 300 per kg in markets in western Assam, from `900 to `1,200 a kg.

Kabil S. K., a fish wholesaler of the New Market here, said, “We have been importing hilsa during this season every year but in the last few years, its availability has increased in Birchingchar, Jaleshwar, Fakirganj and Dhubri and the nearby river island areas.”

He said that if this fish variety could be preserved for a longer period, both sellers and buyers could be benefit. “But hilsa can’t be preserved for more than 15 days,” he added.

The recent bumper catch and low prices have added to the craze for hilsa in the region.

“Low prices have enabled many a cash-strapped consumer to once again taste the Hilsa, which had gone beyond their reach earlier,” said Sanat Chakraborty of Dhubri. Though, the state fishery department is yet to carry out any scientific study on the changed course of hilsa, experts pointed out that the premium quality fish has started breeding in Jogighopa basin of Brahamaputra.

Explaining the phenomena as a new one, an official said that the hilsa is in the habit of swimming against the current from the saline sea water to sweet water of river to lay eggs, as river mouths are ideal breeding ground because of the availability of food.

“Egg-laying by the hilsa in the Brahmaputra basin, which was first noticed during in 2013 and 2014 cyclones, seems to have been successful, hence, Charles Darwin’s survival by natural selection has come into play in this phenomenon,” the official said.

Backwater flow into the Brahmaputra from river Padma in Bangladesh continues right up to Tezpur, which is the reason why the hilsa is also found up to Tezpur but not beyond that point in upstream Brahmaputra, he added.

According to traders, there is plenty of hilsa waiting to be fished and brought into the markets in Dhubri over the next 45 days or so.

Fish sellers said that due abundance of hilsa in Assam, the catch from Bengal markets has stopped coming to the state. Nearly 2 tonnes of locally caught hilsa is being supplied daily to markets in Guwahati and Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar in Bengal.