Ramnad, Thoothukudi fishers upset over sharp dip in catch

MADURAI: Many fishermen, who set sail off Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram after the end of 61-day annual fishing ban, were not content with the catch.

According to P Jesuraja, president, Ramanathapuram District All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association, unlike in the corresponding period of the previous year when a boat netted over 400 kg of different species of fish especially export-oriented ones like shrimp, squid and cuttlefish, crabs, and lobsters, the catch this season per boat slumped to about 200 to 250 kg. Unfortunately, the market value of the day’s freshly caught seafood did not break even. On his boat, Jesuraj said about 240 kg of fish worth a mere Rs 1.50 lakh were netted after incurring an expenditure of Rs1.62 lakh.

S Emarit, a mechanised boat fisherman from Pamban, said since the country boat fishing was allowed during the ban period, fishermen used all types of nets, including monofilament fishing line, which is not an eco-friendly method. This has affected the normal catch for mechanised boats post ban. N Devadoss of Rameswaram Fishermen Association, said a fleet of almost 700 boats set sail off Rameswaram coast on June 17 and returned to shore the next day, but left many disappointed as the expected catch of 300 kg of shrimp a boat came down to just around 100 kg.

RJ Bosco, treasurer, All Mechanized Boat Owners Association, said the dip in fish catch triggered a rise in seafood market price by 40 per cent over the last three days since traders in Kanniyakumari district and neighbouring Kerala, where the annual fishing ban along the west coast is currently in force, purchased fish from Thoothukudi, from where 237 boats of the total 260 ventured into the sea.

Even after the end of annual ban period, mechanized boat fishermen of Kanniyakumari were restricted from entering the sea citing rough weather. Despite the restrictions, as many as 290 boats ventured into the sea from the district during the early hours on Monday. Fisheries Department sources said notice would be issued to those fishermen to enforce action for such an apparent violation.