RAJAHMUNDRY: For lucky fishermen, a catch can change their life.
Ramakrishna and Rambabu, two fishermen from East Godavari district, recently ventured into the sea off Antarvedi in Sakhinetipalli mandal, and netted a 'kachidi' fish weighing 21 kg.
Traders who bought the fish for 2.6 lakh said they would export the prize catch to China. Kakinada is not new to such giant fish and a kachidi fish was sold for 2.4 lakh in the past. The blackspotted croaker that is locally referred to as kachidi is identified as goldfish in West Bengal and Bangladesh. The name does not refer to the colour of the fish but its commercial value. Its medicinal value is appreciated across east Asia and its gall bladder and flesh are used by pharma companies.
Normally found in the Sunderbans in deltaic Bengal and off the coast of Bangladesh, the fish is occasionally spotted in Andhra Pradesh. Its commercial value makes it a valuable catch for fishermen.
A fully-grown adult measures around one meter and a female around 1.1 meters. It usually weighs around 30 kg. The highest grade fish is procured by countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Japan.
