Field day for fish lovers at Pilikula in Mangaluru

Fish lovers had a field day during the Matsyotsava organised by the Pilikula Development Authority and Fisheries department at Pilikula Lake Garden on Sunday.

The fisheries department along with Pilikula Development Authority had released seedlings to the lake. Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Matsyotsava was organised for the last two years. As a result, the size of the fish was huge, said Yogish Moily from fisheries department.

He said that he has been visiting the Matsyotsava along with higher officials from the fisheries department for the last 10 years. This year one and a half tonnes to two tonnes of fish were caught from the lake. The fishes that were caught were cleaned by the workers on the spot and were sold. Workers were busy cleaning and cutting the fish at the spot.

Some of the fishes weighed upto 3 kg. A bucket with 10 fishes weighed more than 30 kg. A kg of fish was sold for Rs 150.

Katla, Common Carp, Tilapia, 'Gowri meenu,' 'Mugudu' were caught in the nets by the workers from the lake.

Matsyotsava at Pilikula has become a fish festival for local residents who are able to purchase fresh fish immediately after the catch, he said.

“The response has been good from the local residents to purchase the fresh fish. We used to have a heavy rush for fish before the Covid-19 pandemic. Though the response has been good this year, rain has played a spoilsport," said sources.

People on the coast, used to sea fish, enjoyed the freshwater fish at the event.

A customer from the neighbourhood of Pilikula said “I purchased six kg of Katla fish. Every year, I come to Matsyotsava and purchase fresh fish. The taste of freshwater fish varies from that of marine fish. These freshwater fish are good for frying rather than preparing a curry. The fish at Pilikula is not expensive. The workers clean and cut the fish at the spot.”

He said "It is true that it's difficult to remove the fish scale of freshwater fish. With a sharp knife or sickle, one can easily cut the fish."