Anomalous warm ocean currents in the Pacific - attributed to the El Nino phenomenon - could be one of the reasons why the famed hilsa fish - or ilish as it is known among Bengalis - might remain in short supply for the connoisseurs of the prized marine food.
Published : 06 Jul 2014, 09:52 PM
Come monsoon, and mounds of hilsa, the silvery tropical fish savoured in India and Bangladesh as the quintessential Bengali delicacy, can be spotted in the markets of the state.
However, this year with experts predicting over 50 percent less rainfall, gourmands will have to wait.
"Not much of Ilish are entering the sweet water right now. El Nino could be one of the factors as well as other environmental gradients that act as cues for the fish to come," Saptarshi Biswas, a scientist at the state government's directorate of fisheries, told IANS.
"We are expecting an increased volume in August-September," he said.
Hilsa, like salmon, migrates from seawater to fresh water to breed. After laying its eggs, the fish dies and the newly-hatched ones go back to the sea and repeat the cycle.