Morphometric, meristic and proximate composition between freshwater and marine hilsa fish

Abstract

Hilsa is the only fish that has secured recognition as the geographical indication product of Bangladesh. The present study was carried out to compare the morphometric, meristic and proximate composition of freshwater and marine hilsa fish. A number of freshwater hilsa were collected from Sandhya river and marine hilsa were collected from Chittagong Port. Morphometric characteristics showed higher value in marine hilsa than freshwater. Among them, total length (TL), standard length (SL) and head length (HL) of both varieties showed difference. Body proportions of both hilsa fish, were different. Number of pectorals, pelvic, anal fin rays showed different. Proximate data showed that, freshwater hilsa contained higher moisture content (70 ± 0.34 %) than marine hilsa. Protein (20.06 ± 0.94 %), lipid (13.8 ± 2 %) and ash contents (1.26 ± 0.15 %) were relatively higher in marine hilsa. Freshwater hilsa showed large amount of calcium (182.4 ± 3.48 mg/100 g) and phosphorus (133 ± 4.52 mg/ 100g) but iron content (3.30 mg /100 g) was higher in marine hilsa. The present result revealed that both marine and freshwater hilsa are nutritionally enriched. Hilsa of freshwater origin is tastier than those of the sea. That is why fresh water hilsa is more popular in Bangladesh.