Fishermen brothers sell 30kg Ghol fish for Rs 5.5 lakh

MUMBAI: On Sunday, two fishermen netted a ghol fish which they sold for a whooping Rs 5.5 lakh. This is the costliest fish to be caught along the Mumbai-Palghar coastline.

Mahesh Meher and his brother Bharat netted a 30 kg fish after setting out in the sea in their small boat. Their boat was named as Sai Lakshmi. After doing their regular, catching a pomfret and other varieties, this fish was caught. This kind of fish is used for the medicinal properties of its internal organs in East Asia. It is also known as ‘the fish with a heart of gold’. They are usually exported to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Japan. A low grade fish is sold at Rs 800-1,000 per kg.

Its skin is used in the manufacture of functional food and cosmetic products as also medicines. Its fins are used by pharmaceutical companies to manufacture soluble stitches and in wine purification. The news of the brother catching the fish ran fast and traders were waiting for them at the sea coast to take part in the impending auction. In a 20 minute auction, an exporter bought it for Rs 5.5 lakh just for the fish’s innards.

“Catch has reduced over the years. So, a ghol in the net comes as a big relief. The money will help me tide over a financial crisis. I can now repair my boat and nets,” said Mahesh.

The brothers added that they have never seen a ghol fish before and only heard of it. They have been fishing for over two decades now. This fish is usually found in the Indian and Pacific oceans along the coasts of the Persian Gulf countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Burma. It is found from Papua New Guinea to Northern Australia. They are also found in North of Japan.