The West Bengal United Fishermen's Association has complained to chief minister Mamata Banerjee that a section of officials of the state fisheries department in Diamond Harbour have been harassing them by illegally seizing their hilsa catch.

They have claimed that the fisheries officials have sold the seized fish in the open market in the name of auction without sharing half of the proceeds with them.

In its letter to Mamata on September 1, the organisation also alleged that on August 29, the officials illegally seized 9 tonnes of fish, which they “auctioned” for Rs 34.6 lakh in the open market, but reported it officially as only 3,500 kilos sold Rs 2.8 lakh. The organisation urged Mamata to take action against the "corrupt" officials of the fisheries department.

Fishing of hilsa is prohibited in the rivers and the sea every year between April 15 and June 14, because it is the breeding season. Catching, possessing, transporting, and selling of hilsa below 23cm is banned.

The organisation alleged that despite catching hilsa larger than 23 cm, a section of fisheries officials and police officials attached to various police stations under the Sunderbans police district harass them.

"This has become an unbearable situation," said chairperson of the organisation, Pranab Kar.

The row took a serious turn on August 29, when fisheries officials confiscated six trawlers at the Frasergunj fishing harbour with over 9 tonnes of fish, mostly hilsa.

The officials, with the support of police, allegedly took the fish to a market in Diamond Harbour and auctioned it, without informing the trawler owners. The officials also did not share the money earned through the auction, with the owners.

Organisation secretary Joykrishna Halder said: "It is quite mysterious that the officials lied about the actual quantity of fish and only Rs 2.8 lakh was deposited to the government account, whereas we have information that the confiscated fish was sold for over Rs 34 lakh."

"According to the law, half of Rs 34 lakh was to be shared with the owners. We have appealed to the chief minister to look into the matter so that these officials stop harassing us. If we don't get any suitable remedy, legal action will be initiated against the officials," he added.

Reacting to the allegations, assistant director of fisheries (marine) Diamond Harbour, Piyal Sardar, claimed nothing was done illegally.

"Everything has been done according to law. Nothing was hidden. The allegations are baseless. I am only bothered about seizing undersized hilsa which we auctioned," said Sardar.

Sources in the fisheries department in Calcutta said the district administration of South 24-Parganas was advised to look into the matter and submit a report within a week.