livemint.com
16.06.2020 / 18:43
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In West Bengal, hopes high for hilsa boom amid covid-19 gloom
KOLKATA : Bengalis are in for a pleasant surprise amid the COVID-19 gloom as fishermen, after a three-month hiatus, have exuded hope of a bumper yield of hilsa, known as "maacher rani" (queen of fish) in Bengal, given the dip in economic activities in the seas due to the lockdown.With the arrival of monsoon, many of them have already ventured out with their trawlers, trying their best to lay hands on the prized "silver crop" -- a nonpareil delicacy that can be savoured when fried, smoked or cooked in mustard sauce."As there was near-zero commercial activity in the seas and rivers, and no industrial effluents were released into the waters during this three-month hiatus, fish breeding, which is common during this season, is bound to pick up