A rare black croaker fish weighing nearly eight kilograms was sold for fifty thousand taka at an auction in Alipur Fish Port, Kuakata, Patuakhali, on Sunday morning. The fish was caught by fisherman Abdur Rahim Majhi late Saturday night in the Bay of Bengal, following the end of a 58-day fishing ban. PM Musa, owner of Kuakata Fresh Fish, purchased the fish at a rate of 6,250 taka per kilogram.

Fisherman Abdur Rahim expressed joy over the high price, saying such fish are rarely caught. Buyer PM Musa explained that the fish’s swim bladder is highly valuable in international markets, and his company exports such fish to Dhaka and abroad. Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Apu Saha noted that the species, locally known as black croaker or lombu croaker, can weigh between 4 and 40 kilograms and is often called the “black gold of the sea.”

Officials described the catch as a positive sign for fishermen resuming work after the seasonal fishing ban.