Hilsa lovers in Bengal will have to wait at least another fortnight for a supply of the coveted fish as the official fishing season that began last week was marred by turbulent sea wind.

Fishery sources said the consequent high salinity in seawater kept the hilsa away.

The first phase of hilsa fishing that began from the second week of June turned out to be a damp squib after most fishing boats from South 24-Parganas and East Midnapore returned empty from the deep sea.

Fishermen have claimed that the cross-currents from turbulence were so strong this week that they could not even lay gill nets. The limited catch that the fishermen managed to make this week was only by net trawling.

However, till Friday, around 2,000 boats that had gone to catch hilsa on June 15 returned with minimal catch.Fishermen are hoping for better days in early July.

Satinath Patra, a hilsa trader and secretary of the Sunderbans Samudrik Matsyajibi Shramik Union, said: “We are hopeful that the situation will improve by the end of July first week. Turbulence in the air and salinity in the water will hopefully reduce.”

The Hooghly river meets the Bay of Bengal close to Sunderbans in South 24-Parganas and the confluence is a favoured place for hilsa. During June-July, the breeder fish swim from the deep sea to the coasts to lay eggs when they are caught. Assistant director of fisheries (marine) Jayanta Pradhan said monsoon rain will reduce salinity in coastal areas and induce the hilsa to lay eggs.

However, hilsa catch has been low in 2020 and 2021, and this fresh season is also off to a dull start. According to state government estimates, around 30,000 people are likely to face a survival crisis if this trend continues. However, the season of 2022 has just begun.