Sahebganj Ganga River Freshwater Fishing Hilsa

Sahebganj district on the Ganga's bank in the Rajmahal area is one of Jharkhand's primary freshwater fishing centres, where Mallah and tribal fishing communities cast nets from boats in the broad Ganga channel to catch hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha), catla, rohu, singhara, and freshwater prawn during monsoon and winter seasons. Sahebganj hilsa is valued for its rich fat content from the fish's upstream migration from the Bay of Bengal and is sold fresh at riverside markets and sent to Kolkata buyers who pay premium prices for Ganga hilsa compared to coastal varieties. The district fisheries cooperative manages fishing access rights and provides boat maintenance subsidies to Mallah fishing families who depend entirely on the Ganga fishery for their livelihood.