As far as anyone can remember,this is the most valuable catch in Kutch. It is also the biggest ever catch of Ghol the coveted gold fish of Gujarati fishermen in these parts. Jamnagar fisherman Hasan Isha Bhayyas catch of 546 Ghol fish has earned him an unheard-of Rs 1 crore. In my 30 years in this business,I have never seen so much Ghol, Salim Sorathiya,who bought the catch,said. Ghol (Protonibea diacanthus),called Croaker in English,is one of the more expensive varieties of catch. The fish is thought to have medicinal properties,and has a big market in Singapore and Malaysia,Ritesh Fofandi of the Veraval Seafood Processors Association said. The trip that made Bhayya a crorepati began on April 24 from Jakhau in Kutch district. He had expected to be out at sea for 8-10 days,but ran into a marine goldmine on the very first day the catch was so big that he had to seek the help of two other trawlers,belonging to his cousins,to ferry it back to port. It was a sheer luck, Bhayya said. This is the first time in Gujarat that anyone has caught so much Ghol, Abdulshah Pirzada,president of Jakhau Fishermens Association,said. Sometimes a fisherman may get 10 Ghol. no one has ever got even 100 in one catch. Pirzada said. According to Sorathiya,female Ghol fetch Rs 800 per kg and male Ghol Rs 1,900. Each Ghol normally weighs between 30 kg and 45 kg.
