Tenualosa ilisha (ilish, hilsa, hilsa herring or hilsa shad) is a species of fish in the herring family (Clupeidae), and a popular food fish in South Asia.The fish contributes about 12% of the total fish production and about 1% of GDP in Bangladesh.ommon names [edit]. Other names include: palla fish, hilsha, ellis, ilish, Bengali: ইলিশ: ilish, Odia: ଇଲିଶି : ilishii, Sindhī: پلو مڇي pallu machhi, Telugu: పులస: pulasa or polasa. The ilish word is also used in India 's Assamese -, Bengali -, Odia-and Telugu-speaking regions and in Pakistan's Sindh province.