Historical aspects and traditional knowledge of Hilsa (Indian shad) in Odisha, east coast of India

Abstract

Great personalities of the Indian subcontinent are associated with our legends, folklore, traditions, rituals and regional songs. Similarly, mountains, trees, cows, fishes, etc. are also linked with the above aspects. Among fishes, these aspects are associated with hilsa or ilisha (Tenualosa ilisha; family Clupeidae). Because hilsa is associated with traditions, scholars have studied this in detail. Hilsa is generally found during the monsoon season between Rivers Ganges and Godavari in India and in Bangladesh. Past several years hilsa has drawn attention because of low production and escalating costs. Therefore, fishermen along the Odisha coast in eastern India require information on hilsa with regard to fishing season and techniques. The catch statistics indicated an increase in the hilsa landings for the past few years. This note discusses information collected from fishing communities of Odisha and compared it with the published literature. It is important to formulate specific guidelines for non-destructive fishing methods for its sustainable management, along with proper scientific assessments to manage the stock by the concerned agencies, which can help in preserving this fish for future generations.