Full-fledged fishing yet to commence

Shortage of labourers, inclement weather and poor financial condition of boat owners have prevented commercial marine fishing from achieving its full potential since the start of the fishing season from September 1.

According to the statistics available with the fisheries department, there are 57 purse seine boats, 1,270 trawl boats, 1,483 mechanised gill net boats, among others, in Mangaluru.

Over 30,000 labourers are directly working in these boats. Boat owners are grappling with a shortage of labourers as local fishermen have not evinced interest in deep-sea fishing lasting for 10 to 12 days. As a result, the fishing industry in the district is forced to depend on labourers from outside the state and district.

“Owing to the shortage of labourers, all trawlers and purse seine boats had not entered the sea. Only 40% of labourers from Odisha, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala had returned back to Mangaluru. The boat owners are making arrangements for their return. Only 30% of the purse seine boats are engaged in fishing. Inclement weather in the past few days also prevented fishermen from venturing into the deep sea,” Purse Seine Boat Owners’ Association President Mohan Bengre said.

Rakesh Bengre, a boat owner, said, “Many labourers have a fear of contracting the virus. The boat owners are also in financial distress owing to the abrupt suspension of fishing due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown in March. We lost six months of fishing. The owners spend upwards from Rs 6 lakh in deep-sea fishing expeditions. The cost of diesel, engine and net repair, ice for stocking fish catch and food for labourers on board have to be borne by the boat owner.”

Due to the pandemic, boat owners are arranging buses and ferrying labourers from their native villages to Mangaluru. This has added to the burden, he said and added that export quality fish was also sold for a lesser price, which also has affected fishermen.

The low pressure and gusty wind for the past few days had hampered the fishing activities, Trawl Boat Owners’ Association President Nithin Kumar told DH.

“For over six months, the boat has not entered the water, he added.

“The engine needs to be repaired. We don’t have enough money to repair the engine and nets,” said another boat owner.

Yallavva from Bagalkot who is engaged in loading and unloading ice and fish from the boats said, “The commencement of fishing has helped us to eke out a living.”