The silver-sheen Hilsa is today a rarity in markets of Jagatsinghpur. With its population dwindling, the fish has become a prized catch here. In fact, the monsoon catch of Hilsa has drastically come down this year. Blame it on pollution and faulty fishing techniques. The Hilsa’s peculiar habitat makes it impossible for artificial breeding through aquaculture like other fishes. The adult Hilsa swims several kms upstream from the sea to freshwater for spawning and returns after the eggs hatch. The sub-adult Hilsa flows back downstream into the sea, a process that takes a few months. Till a few years back, fishermen could get a good catch of Hilsa during monsoon at the confluence of river mouth of Mahanadi and the Bay of Bengal. This year, however, the rain has been less and fish catch has come down. Moreover, it is mostly small size Hilsa that the fishermen are able to catch. As a result, such Hilsa are selling at `800 to `1000 per kg and the bigger varieties are costlier at `1,000 to `1,500 per kg. Fishermen mostly use mosquito nets as a result of which, small Hilsa fishes get trapped. Worse, the Fishing Department authorities do not monitor use of such nets during the peak spawning season. Environmentalist Ayaskant Ray asaid release of effluents from industries in Paradip has also resulted in the dwindling catch. Hilsas are not able to swim upstream to lay eggs due to reduced navigability and obstruction in the polluted rivers. Water flow in rivers is falling and their beds are silted which obstruct movement of the fish to the upstream to lay eggs, Ray said. Dwindling population * Monsoon catch of Hilsa has drastically come down this year * Fishermen mostly use mosquito nets as a result of which, small Hilsa fishes get trapped * Hilsa are selling at D800 to D1000 per kg * Bigger varieties are costlier at D1,000 to D1,500 per kg