CHENNAI: The fishermen of Kasimedu have been hauling in unusually good quantities of leatherjacket fish, a new variety that is popular among exporters, in the last few weeks. More than 1,000 tonnes of leatherjacket fish has been caught in the last one month at Kasimedu harbour. This is the first time fishermen from the city were getting the fish after 2010.
Though not popular locally, it brings good money for the fishermen as it is bought by restaurants and is also exported. The thick skin is used to make filters of sieves.
The fisheries department officials said that one trawler brings on an average around 10 tonnes of the fish.
C V R Raghu Sekar, who owns a trawler, said one of his boats that returned to the harbour a couple of days ago brought in more than five tonnes of this fish. This fish was caught in the nets of the fishermen during 2010 after that this fish was not caught by the fishermen from Kasimedu. Now it is getting caught in several hundred tonnes.
“In the wholesale market, the fish is sold at ₹230 per kg and in the retail market it was priced at ₹300. But, the demand is more for export. People in the state do not relish this fish like sankara, vaaval or vanjiram,” he said.
Balaji, a boat owner, said that his boats go up to 12 nautical miles and are getting this fish. The revenue from the export variety fish would sustain them for a few months, he said.
Fisheries department officials said the skin of this fish is used for making filters. “It is also used in the tannery units. Otherwise this fish is not in great demand in Chennai or other parts of the state. Some hotels buy it to make the dish ‘fish finger’, said the official.
A scientist from the zoological survey of India said that in Chennai this fish never used to fetch a big price. But, currently, the situation had changed. The fish is getting a good price in the retail market also as it is tasty when cooked after removing the skin, he said.
