Rare Kachidi fish netted sells for ₹3.10 lakh

KAKINADA: Fisherman Macha Satish of Pallipeta in Uppada of U. Kothapalli mandal in Kakinada district on Saturday netted “Kachidi”, a very rare fish.

The moment traders came to know about the fish, they rushed to the Maha Kumbhabhishekam spot and participated in the auction. A trader finally bagged the 27 kg fish for ₹3.10 lakh.

Fishermen usually pray to God for such fish. Just one of these can turn a boon for them.

Fisheries department assistant director K. Karunakar told Deccan Chronicle that the scientific name of “Kachidi” or “Kachili” fish is Protonibea diacanthus. It is popularly known as Blackspotted Croak.

The fish is available in the Indo-Pacific region and has high market value in Thailand, Singapore and Japan.

The fish is believed to have vast medicinal values. It is used for preparing medicines for treating gallbladder, lungs, liver and other internal organs.

Karunakar disclosed that the fish is also used for making thread that doctors use for sutures. The thread holds the stitched skin together and dissolves by itself as the wound heals.

He said there are no statistics of the fish on record. But it is a very rare fish.