33-Kilogram Black Popa Fish Caught in Saint Martin, Priced at 7 Lakh Taka

A 33-kilogram black popa fish has been caught off the coast of Saint Martin Island, attracting significant attention due to its rarity and high market value. The fish was caught by Abdul Gani, a well-known fisherman from the western side of the island, who has been regularly catching large fish such as laxa, coral, and popa species for years.

On the morning of November 22, Abdul Gani cast his nets into the sea south of Saint Martin Island. At around 8 AM, he found a massive black popa fish entangled in his nets. He quickly weighed the fish at a local fishery, where it tipped the scale at 32.8 kilograms. The fish has attracted much interest from buyers, with the price being set at 7 lakh taka. A businessperson offered 6 lakh taka, but Gani refused to sell for anything less than 7 lakh.

The high price of popa fish is attributed to its air bladder, which is used to make high-quality surgical sutures, primarily for the international markets in Thailand, Hong Kong, and the United States. The air bladders, which are dried and exported, fetch a price of 6 to 7 lakh taka each. While the flesh of the fish can be sold at 700 to 900 taka per kilogram, the value of the air bladder significantly raises the price.

Abdul Gani is no stranger to catching large fish, having previously caught a 60-kilogram black popa fish in 2022, which he sold for 8 lakh taka. His record also includes the capture of several other large popa fish over the years, all ranging in weight from 30 to 40 kilograms.

Saint Martin Island's unique coral and limestone formations make it an ideal location for catching large fish like popa and laxa, which have become a sought-after commodity due to their high value both locally and abroad.