Gujarat gets a state fish: Why ghol, the ‘fisherman’s lottery’, was chosen

The Gujarat government chose the ghol because of its economic value and its uniqueness. The fish is usually found in the Indo-Pacific region that stretches from the Persian Gulf to the Pacific Ocean. The declaration will enable Gujarat to be a part of its conservation efforts, said officials.

“Every state can declare a state fish. While deciding one for Gujarat, the first thing that came to our mind was the uniqueness of the fish species. This fish is not easily available. Catches that are reported are far and few between. The second factor was the economic value of the fish, and third, we needed to conserve it and prevent it from over-exploitation,” Nitin Sangwan, Commissioner of Fisheries, Gujarat government, told The Indian Express.

Which other species were in the fray?

“Selecting a state fish is a consultative process with representatives of all the districts. Ribbon fish, pomfret, and Bombay Duck were the other species that were considered for designation as state fish,” Sangwan said.

What is the commercial importance of this fish species?

Being an expensive fish, the local consumption of this variety is not widely heard of, said experts. But the fish has a huge market in China and other countries.

“The fish is actually a lottery for fishermen who manage to net it. The fish is not only tasty, it is considered a delicacy in many countries. In others, it is used for medicinal purposes. While the meat of the fish is exported as frozen fillet or whole fish to European and Middle-Eastern countries, its air bladder — which is cut open from the stomach and dried — is mainly exported to China, Hong Kong and other Asian countries where it is in high demand for its medicinal values,” said Jignesh Visavadia, state coordinator for Network for Fish Quality Management and Sustainable Fishing (NETFISH), a registered society formed under the aegis of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) of the the government.

“A kilogram of Ghol fetches between Rs5,000 to Rs15,000 in Gujarat. However, it is the dried air bladder of the fish that is the costliest, and can fetch amounts as high as Rs25,000 a kilogram in the export market,” added Visavadia, who is based in Veraval, a fishing hub of Gujarat. According to Visavadia, a single fish of this species can weigh as much as 25 kg.

How much fish does Gujarat export?

During the year 2021-22, the total fish production of Gujarat was estimated at 8.74 lakh tonne, worth Rs 11,221 crore. Of this, 2.3 lakh tonne of fish and fish products worth Rs 5,233 crore were exported