Rising diesel price and a dip in the hilsa catch for the second year on the trot have left fishermen and the government worried because livelihoods of around 30,000 people are at stake.

Because of the low yield, many fishermen are not taking their trawlers to the sea after one or two trips as diesel price has crossed Rs 90 a litre.

“Affording fuel cost, the main investment to catch hilsa, is tough. Many trawler owners like me have stopped sailing our boats temporarily as the expense-and-profit ratio is not viable. The cost towards fuel increased by 22 per cent compared to last year and production of hilsa reduced by 35 per cent. It is a survival challenge,” said Satinath Patra, secretary of the Sunderban Samudrik Matsyojibi Shramik Union, an association of sea-fishermen. Sources said a trawler carries around 2,400 litres of diesel in barrels to trawl the sea for five days. Diesel on Thursday sold for Rs 92.50 a litre in Calcutta.

“One of my trawlers came back with hilsa worth Rs 1.5 lakh only. I could not recover my fuel cost. This isn’t only my story but of everyone in this trade,” said Patra, adding they would write to central and state governments seeking subsidised diesel for fishing.

“The situation is the worst this year with low hilsa catch and high diesel price,” said Shyamsundar Das, secretary of the Digha Fishermen’s Association.

Jayanta Pradhan, assistant director of fisheries in South 24-Parganas, said hilsa production is down by more than half compared to last year.

Since the hilsa fishing season is yet to be over, the fishermen are keeping their fingers crossed, expecting to recover the loss in their next trips to the sea. But, the rising riverbed level due to siltation, trapping of juvenile fish and excessive harvesting by some fishermen are possible reasons why the hilsa is elusive.

According to experts, the Hooghly river meets the Bay of Bengal close to the Sunderbans in South 24-Parganas, and the confluence is the favourite place for the hilsa, which move from the ocean to the river stream around this season.

Till Tuesday around 2,000 boats that went to catch hilsa on June 15, after the expiry of the government-mandated gap from April 15 to June 14 to promote hilsa breeding, from Namkhana, Kakdwip, Raidighi in South 24-Parganas and from Digha, Shankarpur and Contai in East Midnapore have returned with their catch. But, the quantity of the fish was so meagre that the fishermen were reluctant to disclose the figure.

According to the members of the fishermen’ welfare outfit in Namkhana, till Tuesday the total hilsa catch has not reached even 100 tonnes, less than a quarter of the projected catch during June-July every year.

“Hope the situation improves,” said Patra.