View source for Ilish

{{Short description|Species of fish related to the herring}}
{{Redirect|Hilsa}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = ClupeaIlisha.png
| image2 = BHilsa123.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Freyhof, J. |date=2014 |title=''Tenualosa ilisha'' |volume=2014 |page=e.T166442A1132697 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T166442A1132697.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref> (Global)
| status2 = NT
| status2_system = IUCN3.1
| status2_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |last1=Al-Khalaf |first1=K. |last2=Alam |first2=S. |last3=Almukhtar |first3=M. |last4=Bishop |first4=J. |last5=Abdulqader |first5=E. |last6=Alghawzi |first6=Q. |last7=Al-Husaini |first7=M. |last8=Hartmann |first8=S. |last9=Kaymaram |first9=F. |year=2015 |title=''Tenualosa ilisha'' |page=e.T166442A75259795}}</ref> ([[Persian Gulf]])
| genus = Tenualosa
| species = ilisha
| authority = [[Francis Buchanan-Hamilton|F. Hamilton]], 1822
| synonyms =
* ''Clupanodon ilisha'' <small>Hamilton, 1822</small>
* ''Clupea ilisha'' <small>(Hamilton, 1822)</small>
* ''Hilsa ilisha '' <small>(Hamilton, 1822)</small>
* ''Macrura ilisha'' <small>(Hamilton, 1822)</small>
* ''Tenualosa illisha'' <small>(Hamilton, 1822)</small>
* ''Tenualosa illsha'' <small>(Hamilton, 1822)</small>
* ''Clupea palasah'' <small>Cuvier, 1829 </small>
}}
The '''ilish''' ('''''Tenualosa ilisha''''') ({{langx|bn|ইলিশ|translit=iliś}}), also known as the '''ilishi''', '''hilsa''', '''hilsa herring''' or '''hilsa shad''', is a species of fish related to the [[herring]], in the family [[Clupeidae]]. It is a very popular and sought-after food in the [[Bengal|Bengal region]], and is the [[National symbols of Bangladesh|national fish of Bangladesh]]<ref name=":0">{{citation |last1=Webb |first1=Lois Sinaiko |last2=Roten |first2=Lindsay Grace |year=2009 |title=The Multicultural Cookbook for Students |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fgWrCQAAQBAJ |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-0-313-37559-0}}</ref> and state fish of the Indian state of [[West Bengal]].<ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=State Fishes of India |url=http://nfdb.gov.in/PDF/Fish%20&%20Fisheries%20of%20India/2.State%20Fishes%20of%20India.pdf |publisher=National Fisheries Development Board, Government of India |access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref>
As of 2023, 97% of the world's total ilish supply originates in [[Bangladesh]].<ref name=":5" /> The fish contributes about 12% of the total fish production and about 1.15% of GDP in Bangladesh. On 6 August 2017, [[Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks]] under the [[Ministry of Industries (Bangladesh)|Ministry of Industries]] declared ilish as a [[Geographical Indication]] of Bangladesh.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/recognition-hilsa-1445266 |title=Recognition for hilsa |date=2017-08-08 |work=The Daily Star |language=en |access-date=2019-01-16}}</ref> About 450,000 people are directly involved in the catching of the fish as a large part of their livelihood; around four to five million people are indirectly involved with the trade.<ref>{{cite news |last=Siddique |first=Abu Bakar |title=Country's 6th Ilish sanctuary coming soon |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/uncategorized/2015/01/19/countrys-6th-ilish-sanctuary-coming-soon |newspaper=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=23 May 2015}}</ref>
==Common names==
Other names include jatka,illi, ilish, ellis, palla fish, hilsha, ilih etc. ({{langx|as|ইলীহ/ইলীহি}}: ilih/ilihi, {{langx|bn|ইলিশ|translit=iliś}}, {{langx|gu|મોદાર/પાલ્વા}}: Modar or Palva, {{langx|or|ଇଲିଶି|translit=iliśi}}, [[Sindhi language|Sindhī]]: پلو مڇي pallo machhi, {{langx|ta|உள்ள மீன்/Ulla Meen}}, [[Telugu language|Telugu]]: పులస pulasa). The name ilish is also used in India's [[Assamese language|Assamese]], [[Bengali language|Bengali]], and [[Odia language|Odia]] communities. In [[Iraq]] it is called sboor (صبور). In [[Malaysia]] and [[Indonesia]], it is commonly known as terubok. Due to its distinguished features as being oily and tender, some Malays, especially in northern Johore, call it '{{Not a typo|terubok umno}}' (to distinguish it from the toli - which species is rich in tiny bones and not so oily). {{Citation needed|date=June 2022}} In [[Myanmar]], it is called ({{lang|my|ငါးသလောက်}}) in [[Burmese language|Burmese]] which derives from the [[Mon language]] word ကသလံက် with က in Mon and {{lang|my|ငါး}} in Burmese meaning fish.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Haswell |first=J. M. |year=1874 |title=Grammatical Notes and Vocabulary of the Peguan Language |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1STOTdU0uisC&dq=fish+shad&pg=PA31 |location=Rangoon |publisher=American Mission Press |page=31}}</ref>
[[File:Abundance of Hilsa Fish in Bangladesh.svg|alt=Abundance of Ilish in Bangladesh|thumb|Abundance of hilsa fish in Bangladesh]]
== Description ==
Females of the species grow larger than males, with males individuals not reaching over 46&nbsp;cm. Females can reach lengths of up to 55&nbsp;cm. Maturity is generally attained by the end of the first year or the start of the second, with males maturing at sizes of 26–29&nbsp;cm and females at 31–33&nbsp;cm.<ref name=":3" />
It has no dorsal spines but 18 – 21 dorsal soft rays and anal soft rays. The belly has 30 to 33 [[scute]]s. There is a distinct median notch in the upper jaw. Gill rakers fine and numerous, about 100 to 250 on the lower part of the arch and the fins are [[hyaline]]. The fish shows a dark blotch behind gill opening, followed by a series of small spots along the flank in juveniles. While alive, the fish is silver shot with gold and purple.
==Habitat and breeding==
[[File:Ilish portrait by Rezowan.jpg|thumb|Ilish of Bangladesh]]
The fish is marine; freshwater; brackish; [[Pelagic fish|pelagic]]-[[Coastal fish|neritic]]; [[Fish migration|anadromous]]; depth range of about 200 m. Within a tropical range; 34°N - 5°N, 42°E - 97°E in marine and freshwater. It is found in rivers and estuaries in [[Bangladesh]], [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[Myanmar]] (also known as Burma) and the [[Persian Gulf]] area where it can be found in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in and around [[Iran]] and southern [[Iraq]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Al-Dubakel |first=A. Y. |year=2011 |title=Commercial Fishing and Marketing of Hilsa Shad Tenualosa ilisha (Hamilton-Buchanon, 1822) in Basrah -Southern Iraq |url=http://ejfa.info/index.php/ejfa/article/viewFile/6455/3293 |journal=Emirates Journal of Food Agriculture |volume=23 |issue=2 |access-date=22 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522105008/http://ejfa.info/index.php/ejfa/article/viewFile/6455/3293 |archive-date=22 May 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The fish schools in coastal waters and ascends up the rivers (anadromous) for around 50 – 100&nbsp;km to spawn during the [[Monsoon of South Asia|southwest monsoons]] (June to September and January to April). Actual peak breeding season of the fish is a topic of debate amongst the researchers.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Abu Rayhan |first1=Md Sayeed |last2=Rahman |first2=Md Shohanur |last3=Bose |first3=Protick Kumar |last4=Sarower |first4=Md Golam |last5=Ali |first5=Muhammad Yousuf |date=2023-09-01 |title=Estimating peak breeding season, size at first maturity and variation in fecundity and egg-size at different sizes of Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) |journal=Heliyon |volume=9 |issue=9 |pages=e19420 |doi=10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19420 |doi-access=free |pmid=37681140 |pmc=10481282 |bibcode=2023Heliy...919420A |issn=2405-8440}}</ref>
After spawning, they return to the sea which are known as ''Jatka'' in Bangladesh (fish size up to 9&nbsp;cm), although some stocks remain resident in rivers.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Islam |first=M. S. |date=1989 |title=The life history and fishery of hilsa in Bangladesh and their implication for management |journal=Fishbyte |language=En |hdl=20.500.12348/3274 |hdl-access=free}}</ref>
Since the 1900s, numerous efforts have been made to breed and cultivate hilsa across South Asia, especially in India and Bangladesh. However, no significant success has been achieved in completing the fish's life cycle in captivity.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sahoo |first1=Amiya Kumar |last2=Wahab |first2=Md. Abdul |last3=Phillips |first3=Michael |last4=Rahman |first4=Anisur |last5=Padiyar |first5=Arun |last6=Puvanendran |first6=Velmurugu |last7=Bangera |first7=Rama |last8=Belton |first8=Ben |last9=De |first9=Dilip Kumar |last10=Meena |first10=Dharmendra Kumar |last11=Behera |first11=Bijay Kumar |last12=Sharma |first12=Anil Prakash |last13=Bhaumik |first13=Utpal |last14=Mohanty |first14=Bimal Prasanna |last15=Choudhury |first15=Sampurna Roy |date=4 April 2016 |title=Breeding and culture status of Hilsa ( Tenualosa ilisha, Ham. 1822) in South Asia: a review |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/raq.12149 |journal=Reviews in Aquaculture |language=en |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=96–110 |doi=10.1111/raq.12149 |issn=1753-5123}}</ref>
===Feeding habit===
The species filter feeds on [[plankton]] and forages in muddy bottoms.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tenualosa ilisha |url=http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=1596&AT=ilisha |website=FishBase}}</ref> Its diet primarily consists of [[Diatom|Bacillariophyceae]] (diatoms), [[Chlorophyceae]] (green algae), and [[crustacean]]s (Copepoda and Cladocera). While adults generally feed on Chlorophyceae and Bacillariophyceae, juveniles primarily depend on crustaceans.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Kaisir Mohammad Moinul Hasan |author2=Zoarder Faruque Ahmed |author3=Md Abdul Wahab |author4=Essam Yassin Mohammed |title=Food and feeding ecology of hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) in Bangladesh's Meghna River basin |url=https://www.iied.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/migrate/16609IIED.pdf |journal=International Institute for Environment and Development |access-date=23 September 2024}}</ref>
==Production==
The fish is found in 11 countries: [[Bangladesh]], [[India]], [[Myanmar]], [[Pakistan]], [[Iran]], [[Iraq]], [[Kuwait]], [[Bahrain]], [[Indonesia]], [[Malaysia]] and [[Thailand]]. Bangladesh is the top hilsa-producing country in the world, followed by Myanmar and then India.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal |last1=Chakraborty |first1=Hena |last2=DebRoy |first2=Piyashi |last3=Kunui |first3=Arghya |last4=Nandy |first4=Saurav Kumar |last5=Jana |first5=Chayna |last6=Sahoo |first6=Amiya Kumar |last7=Das |first7=Basanta Kumar |date=2024-02-07 |title=Hilsa fisheries in India: a socio-economic analysis of fishers in deltaic Ganga region of river Hooghly |journal=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |language=English |volume=8 |doi=10.3389/fsufs.2024.1310077 |doi-access=free |issn=2571-581X}}</ref>
[[File:Hilsa (Ilish) fishes for sale at fish market in Domjur, Howrah, West Bengal, India, photographed by Yogabrata Chakraborty, on June 22, 2022.jpg|thumb|Hilsa fishes for sale at fish market in [[West Bengal]], India.]]
An estimated 97% of the total hilsa catch comes from Bangladesh. Ilish production in the country increased by 92% from 2008 to 2023.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=2023-10-11 |title=Hilsa production increased by 92% in 15 years: Fisheries minister |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/hilsa-production-increased-92-15-years-fisheries-minister-716298 |access-date=2024-09-19 |work=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref>
==Food value==
[[File:Ilish Bhaat.jpg|thumb|Rice and hilsha fish fry with lentils and fried aubergine]]
The fish is popular food amongst the people of South Asia and in the Middle East, but especially with [[Bengali people|Bengalis]], [[Odia people|Odias]] and [[Telugu people|Telugus]] of [[Coastal Andhra]]. {{Citation needed|date=June 2022}} Bengali fish curry is a popular dish made with mustard oil or seed. The [[Bengalis]] popularly call this dish [[Shorshe Ilish]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}} It is very popular in [[Bengal]] ([[Bangladesh]] and India's [[West Bengal]]), as well as in [[Odisha]], [[Tripura]], [[Assam]], [[Gujarat]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}} It is also exported globally.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}
Ilish collected from Bangladesh is regarded the finest of all, celebrated for its size and subtle taste.<ref>{{Cite news |title=What ilish, a fish, says about India-Bangladesh relations |url=https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/09/12/what-ilish-a-fish-says-about-india-bangladesh-relations |access-date=2024-09-18 |newspaper=The Economist |issn=0013-0613}}</ref>
In North America (where ilish is not always readily available) other [[shad]] fish are sometimes used as an ilish substitute, especially in [[Bengali cuisine]]. This typically occurs near the East coast of North America, where fresh shad fish, which tastes similar to ilish, can be found.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}
In Bangladesh, fish are caught in the [[Meghna river|Meghna]]-[[Jamuna River|Jamuna]] delta,<ref>{{cite news |title=Highway extortion responsible for surge in Ilish prices |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/business/2016/apr/14/highway-extortion-responsible-surge-ilish-prices |newspaper=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=3 May 2016}}</ref> which flows into the [[Bay of Bengal]] and Meghna (lower [[Brahmaputra]]), and [[Jamuna River (Bangladesh)|Jamuna]] rivers.
In India, [[Rupnarayan River|Rupnarayan]] (which has the ''[[Kolaghat]]er hilsa''), [[Hooghly river|Hooghly]], [[Mahanadi River|Mahanadi]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.biosearch.in/publicOrganismPage.php?id=113036 |title=Bioinformatics Centre, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India |publisher=Biosearch.in |date=1 February 2012 |access-date=22 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506014920/http://www.biosearch.in/publicOrganismPage.php?id=113036 |archive-date=6 May 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Narmada]] and [[Godavari]] rivers and the [[Chilika Lake]] are famous for their fish yields.
In the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, hilsa takes on a special significance. Here, the term "pulasa" refers specifically to the larger, mature hilsa that migrate upstream along the Godavari River. This migratory journey is crucial, as it's believed that the Godavari's unique muddy waters contribute to the development of a richer flavour and firmer texture in the fish, compared to hilsa caught elsewhere. Due to this perceived superior quality and its limited seasonal availability (typically monsoon season), pulasa commands a significantly higher price and cultural importance in Andhra Pradesh. It is considered a rich delicacy, often referred to as the "king of fish" in Godavari Areas and features in celebratory meals and as a prized gift. The upstream migration itself is seen as a vital natural process, and the pulasa a reward for the patient fishermen who wait for its arrival.
In Pakistan, most hilsa fish are caught in the [[Indus River Delta]] in [[Sindh]]. They are also caught in the sea, but some consider the marine stage of the fish as not so tasty. The fish has very sharp and tough bones, making it problematic to eat for some.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}
Ilish is an [[oily fish]] rich in [[omega 3 fatty acids]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mohanty |first1=Bimal |last2=Das |first2=Soma |last3=Bhaumik |first3=Utpal |last4=Sharma |first4=Anil |date=March 2011 |title=Tenualosa ilisha: A rich source of omega-3 PUFAs |url=http://www.cifri.res.in/Bulletins/Bulletin%20No.171.pdf |journal=Bulletin |issue=171 |publisher=Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute |issn=0970-616X}}</ref> Recent experiments have shown its beneficial effects in decreasing cholesterol level in rats<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Banerjee I, Saha S, Dutta J |title=Comparison of the effects of dietary fish oils with different n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid compositions on plasma and liver lipids in rats |journal=Lipids |volume=27 |issue=6 |pages=425–8 |date=June 1992 |pmid=1630277 |doi=10.1007/BF02536383 |s2cid=4033041}}</ref> and insulin level.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Mahmud I, Hossain A, Hossain S, Hannan A, Ali L, Hashimoto M |title=Effects of ''Hilsa ilisa'' fish oil on the atherogenic lipid profile and glycaemic status of streptozotocin-treated type 1 diabetic rats |journal=Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. |volume=31 |issue=1–2 |pages=76–81 |year=2004 |pmid=14756688 |url=http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/resolve/openurl?genre=article&sid=nlm:pubmed&issn=0305-1870&date=2004&volume=31&issue=1-2&spage=76 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105074726/http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/resolve/openurl?genre=article&sid=nlm:pubmed&issn=0305-1870&date=2004&volume=31&issue=1-2&spage=76 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-05 |doi=10.1111/j.1440-1681.2004.03953.x |s2cid=25883400}}</ref>
In [[Bengal]] and [[Odisha]], ilish can be smoked, fried, steamed or baked in young [[Plantain (cooking)|plantain]] leaves, prepared with [[mustard seed]] paste, curd, [[aubergine]], different condiments like [[cumin|jira]] (cumin) and so on. It is said that people can cook ilish in more than 50 ways.<ref>{{Cite web |title=216 easy and tasty hilsa recipes by home cooks |url=https://cookpad.com/in/search/hilsa |access-date=2023-10-26 |website=Cookpad |language=en}}</ref> Ilish [[roe]] is also popular as a side dish. Ilish can be cooked in very little oil since the fish itself is very oily.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Karmakar |first=Rekha |date=2015-09-09 |title=A Fish Lover's Guide To Cooking Hilsa |url=https://www.indiafoodnetwork.in/food-stories/a-fish-lovers-guide-to-cooking-hilsa/ |access-date=2023-10-26 |website=www.indiafoodnetwork.in |language=en}}</ref>
==Ilish in culture==
[[File:ঐতিহ্যবাহী সর্ষে ইলিশ.jpg|thumb|upright|''[[Shorshe ilish]]'', a dish of smoked ilish with [[mustard seeds]], has been an important part of [[Bengali cuisine]].]]
* Ilish is the national fish of [[Bangladesh]].<ref name=":0" />
* In [[Andhra Pradesh]], the saying goes "Pustelu ammi ayina Pulasa tinocchu", meaning roughly "It's worth eating Pulasa/Ilish even if you have to sell your [[mangala sutra]].<ref name="The Times of India">{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/what-the-fish-godavari-pulasa-selling-for-rs-4000-per-kg/articleshow/60251761.cms |title=What the fish! Godavari Pulasa selling for Rs 4,000 per kg |work=The Times of India |access-date=2018-02-18}}</ref> Hilsa is also known as pulasa in Godavari districts of the state. The name Pulasa stays with the fish for a limited period between July–Sept of a year, when floods raise the Godavari River. This time the fish is in high demand and sometimes $100 per kilo.<ref name="The Times of India"/><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajahmundry/Pulasa-season-starts-early/articleshow/53124756.cms |title=Pulasa season starts early |work=The Times of India |access-date=2018-02-18}}</ref>
* In many [[Bengali Hindus|Bengali Hindu]] families a pair of ilish fishes (Bengali: ''Jora Ilish'') are bought on auspicious days, for example for special prayers or [[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]] days like for the Hindu Goddess of music, art and knowledge [[Saraswati Puja]], which takes place in the beginning of spring or on the day of [[Lakshmi Puja]] (the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity) which takes place in autumn.<ref>{{cite news |date=24 May 2014 |title=Ilish... a love story |newspaper=dna |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/column-ilish-a-love-story-1990784 |access-date=3 May 2016}}</ref> Some people offer the fish to the goddess [[Lakshmi]], without which the Puja is sometimes thought to be incomplete.
[[File:Hilsha Fish Fry from Mawa ghat.webm|100px|thumb|right|Ilish is fried on mustard oil]]
* Hilsa is also known in [[Sindh]] as Pallo Machi and is important part of [[Sindhi cuisine]], prepared with numerous cooking methods. It can be deep fried and garnished with local spices, can be cooked with onions and potatoes into a traditional fish meal or barbequed. The fish often has roe, which is called "aani" in Sindhi and is enjoyed as a delicacy. Often fried alongside the palla and served with the fish fillets.<ref>{{cite news |last=Khan |first=M. Hussain |date=2 April 2019 |title=The palla, the shrine, the catch and the cook |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1204243 |work=Dawn}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/10-reasons-to-get-invited-to-a-sindhi-household-for-dinner-1670547 |title=10 Reasons to Get Invited to a Sindhi Household for Dinner |last=Karmakar |first=Kalyan |date=24 April 2018 |website=NDTV Food}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Sen |first=Pritha |date=9 July 2017 |title=A fishy fable: If it's monsoon, it must rain hilsas |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/a-fishy-fable-if-its-monsoon-it-must-rain-hilsas-4741945/ |work=The Indian Express}}</ref>
* The rivalry of East Bengal and Mohon Bagan, two football clubs of Kolkata are celebrated by food. When East Bengal wins, an ilish (hilsha) dish is cooked by the East Bengal supporters. Similarly, when Mohon Bagan wins, a Chingri (Prawn) dish is prepared by the Mohon Bagan supporters.<ref>Sen, Shomini (7 September 2016). "East Bengal vs Mohun Bagan: The War Between Hilsa and Prawns". News18. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.</ref>
==Overfishing==
Due to the demand and popularity of this species, [[overfishing]] is rampant. Fishes weighing around 2 to 3 kilograms have become rare in India, as even the smaller fish are caught using finer fishing nets as production in Bangladesh have increased.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dasgupta |first=Reshmi R. |date=13 August 2012 |title=Bengalis are loving Ilish to extinction |url=http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/SilkStalkings/entry/bengalis-are-loving-ilish-to-extinction |work=The Economic Times}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> As a consequence of this, prices of the fish have risen. In the past ilish were not harvested between [[Vijaya Dashami]] and [[Saraswati Puja]] due to some informal customs of [[Odia people|Odia]] and [[Bengali Hindus]] as it is the breeding period of the fish. But as disposable incomes grew, wealthier consumers abandoned the old traditions.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Mazumdar |first=Jaideep |date=1 September 2008 |title=The Last Ilish Curry |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?238289 |magazine=Outlook}}</ref>
The advent of finer [[fishing nets]] and advanced [[trawling]] techniques, and [[environmental degradation]] of the rivers, has worsened the situation. Fishermen have been ignoring calls to at least leave the juvenile "jatka" alone to repopulate the species. The fishing of the young jatka is now illegal in [[Bangladesh]]. This ban however has resulted in a rise in unemployment, as around 83,000 fishermen are unable to pursue their former livelihood for eight months every year. It has also led to the creation of a black market where jatka are sold for exorbitant prices.<ref>{{cite news |last=Moitra |first=Kalyan |date=1 July 2002 |title=Hilsa may soon become endangered: Experts |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Hilsa-may-soon-become-endangered-Experts/articleshow/14593097.cms |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130701060646/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-07-01/kolkata/27293404_1_hilsa-fingerlings-indiscriminate-fishing |url-status=live |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |archive-date=1 July 2013}}</ref> Furthermore, the changes brought about by [[global warming]] have led to a gradual depletion of the ilish's breeding grounds, reducing populations of the fish even further.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.celsias.com/article/bangladeshs-hilsa-fish-acts-early-warning-climate/ |title=Bangladesh's Hilsa Fish Acts as Early Warning of Climate Change |access-date=2013-07-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522103819/http://www.celsias.com/article/bangladeshs-hilsa-fish-acts-early-warning-climate/ |archive-date=22 May 2014}}</ref> Pollution in rivers have worsened the situation, but due to slightly better waters the fishes are found more near Bangladesh delta.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |title=Hilsa Fish: অসুস্থ গঙ্গা থেকে মুখ ফিরিয়ে মায়ানমার পাড়ি দিচ্ছে ইলিশের ঝাঁক |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/india/due-to-some-geological-factors-in-ganges-hilsa-fish-are-migrating-towards-myanmar/cid/1303419 |access-date=2021-09-24 |work=Anandabazar Patrika |language=bn}}</ref> Owing to this situation ilish is used as a diplomatic trade item, most recently in the distribution of [[COVID-19]] vaccines.<ref>{{Cite news |script-title=bn:ভ্যাকসিন নেই, তাই ইলিশও নেই! |url=https://www.dw.com/bn/%E0%A6%AD%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%93-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%87/a-57988675 |access-date=2021-09-25 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |date=2021-06-22 |language=bn-BD}}</ref>
Bangladesh has regularly imposed restrictions on the export of ilish abroad, citing its scarcity. Despite this, former Prime Minister [[Sheikh Hasina]] periodically lifted the ban to allow the annual export and gifted of 3,000-5,000 tonnes of fish to India during the [[Durga Puja]], popularly known as "Hilsa Diplomacy". Since the fall of the Hasina government, the [[Yunus interim government|interim government]] of Bangladesh has imposed a ban on ilish exports,<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 September 2024 |title='Fish diplomacy' setback for India and Bangladesh |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2l15j4dq9po |access-date=11 September 2024 |publisher=BBC |language=en}}</ref> which was partially lifted on 21 September 2024 to allow for the export of 3,000 tonnes of fish for Durga Puja.<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 September 2024 |title=Fishy business caught by fraying India-Bangladesh ties |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240924-fishy-business-caught-by-fraying-india-bangladesh-ties |access-date=24 September 2024 |publisher=France 24 |language=en}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[Bangladeshi cuisine]]
* [[Bengali cuisine]]
* [[Cuisine of Odisha]]
* [[Environmental impact of fishing]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Tenualosa ilisha}}
{{Wikispecies|Tenualosa ilisha}}
* [http://harunbfdc.blogspot.com Hilsa Research in the Bay of Bengal]
* [http://en.bdfish.org/?s=Tenualosa+ilisha ''Tenualosa ilisha''].[[BdFISH]]
* {{ITIS |id=551297 |taxon=Tenualosa ilisha |access-date=6 June 2006}}
* [http://www.IlishHut.com/ Ilish Hut (ইলিশ হাট)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328123531/http://www.ilishhut.com/ |date=28 March 2019 }} – online Ilish fish selling website in Bangladesh
* {{cite journal |vauthors=Mazumder SK, Alam MS |date=January–March 2009 |title=High levels of genetic variability and differentiation in hilsa shad, ''Tenualosa ilisha'' (Clupeidae, Clupeiformes) populations revealed by PCR-RFLP analysis of the mitochondrial DNA D-loop region |journal=Genet Mol Biol |volume=32 |issue=1 |pages=190–196 |pmc=3032976 |doi=10.1590/S1415-47572009005000023 |pmid=21637667}}
* {{cite journal |vauthors=Roomiani L, Sotudeh AM, Hakimi Mofrad R |date=October 2013 |title=Reproductive biology of Hilsa shad (''Tenualosa ilisha'') in coastal Waters of the Northwest of Persian Gulf |url=http://www.jifro.ir/files/site1/user_files_eb12be/eng/fallahi-A-10-1272-74-9886856.pdf |journal=Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=201–2015}}
{{Commercial fish topics}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1709642}}
{{Authority control}}
{{West Bengal}}
[[Category:Geographical indications in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Tenualosa]]
[[Category:Fish described in 1822]]
[[Category:Andhra cuisine]]
[[Category:Odia cuisine]]
[[Category:Bengali cuisine]]
[[Category:Fish of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:National symbols of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Commercial fish]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton]]