Vetki / Koral fish, also known as Asian Seabass, a gourmet favorite fish found in the Bay of Bengal. People in Bangladesh specially coastal region love it, and it’s a big deal in the coastal areas. Vetki fish are caught using different nets, like cast nets and seines, and they usually move around a lot during the monsoon season, chowing down on stuff like mollusks, prawns, tiny fish, crabs, worms, and sometimes even zooplankton.
Now, why should we care about Vetki / Koral fish? Well, they’re not just tasty; they play a vital role in keeping our ecosystem in check. These fish are like the clean-up crew, getting rid of dead organic waste. And guess what? They’re loaded with good stuff like fatty acids and Omega-3, which are great for lowering bad cholesterol and reducing the risk of diabetes and cancer. Plus, they’re packed with nutrients like protein, zinc, calcium, and magnesium, all of which are good for our bones. And let’s not forget the vitamin A, which keeps our eyes in top shape. So, eating Vetki fish is not just a treat; it’s like a health boost.
But there’s a catch. Despite being popular, Koral fish face some challenges in Bangladesh. Illegal fishing and environmental damage are causing problems. People are trying to farm these fish during the off-season by using leftover nets from prawn fishing, and it’s showing some promise. The little Vetki fish grow fast, and the big ones are in high demand, making it a good way to make money.
However, there’s still work to be done. Bangladesh is doing great in freshwater fish farming, but when it comes to farming in the sea fish, especially Asian Seabass, we’re a bit behind. We need to figure out how to make more Asia Seabass babies in a controlled way. Though there’s a recent success on artificial breeding by a local hatchery in Cox’s Bazaar named “Greenhouse Mariculture”. Now, its time to see how it turns out in commercial way, lets say we give more or less 3-5 years and hopefully something sustainable can be expected. Currently, many coastal fish farmers are already practicing Vetki farming, collecting fingerlings of imported brood from local hatcheries. Along with many the main challenge for rearing Asian Seabass, is the right food for the growth. There are some smart folks are already experimenting with different types of fish food to help Asian Seabass grow faster, but it can be expensive.
So, the bottom line is, there’s a lot of potential in farming Vetki fish, but we need to tackle the challenges like illegal fishing and figure out how to make it work in the aquaculture / Mariculture. If we can do that, we’ll not only get to enjoy more delicious Vetki dishes but also help our coastal waters stay healthy and diverse. Win-win!
