A yellow-golden fish, locally called the yellow sonali bata or tota bata, was caught in the deep waters of the Bay of Bengal off Kuakata in Patuakhali district.
The fish was caught in the net of the trawler FB Jarif-4, operated by fisherman Asad Majhi, during deep-sea fishing.
It was brought to Alipur fish port on Wednesday, where curious fishermen, traders and residents gathered to see the brightly colored fish.
Fisherman Asad Majhi said the fish came up in his net while fishing in deep sea, and its unusual color and shape drew many visitors after it was brought to port.
Local fish trader Md. Rubel Hawlader said he had not seen such a beautifully colored fish up close and noted that the fish was quite small.
Md. Bakhtiar Rahman, research assistant of the 'Healthy Sea' project implemented by WCS and WorldFish with funding from the Blue Action Fund, identified the fish as Upeneus sulphureus (goatfish), a species important to Bangladesh's coastal waters and the Bay of Bengal.
Rahman said the fish uses two barbels under its chin to dig through sand and mud on the seafloor to feed, helping recycle nutrients and maintain ecosystem balance, and that it is economically important in local markets and the dried-fish industry.
Senior fisheries officer of Kalapara upazila, Apu Saha, said the fish is found in coastal and marine areas and is important both environmentally and economically, and that conservation and sustainable harvesting are needed to protect marine biodiversity.