Between late 2017 when Ockhi struck the coast of Kerala and early 2019, fishers in the State have lost about 50 days of work. The month of May this year has so far seen a loss of nine days, largely due to weather warnings, says the president of the Kerala Mechanised Boat Operators’ Association Joseph Xavier Kalapurakkal.
“It is important that the State Fisheries Department recognise the seriousness of the situation. It is a fish drought and a relief package is needed immediately,” says Charles George of the Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedi (fish workers’ unity centre). He calls for more specific data so that fishermen are not unnecessarily held back from venturing out because they walk the tightrope between livelihood and starvation.
A game of chance
He says that fishing has turned into a game of chance, swinging between good and bad days, especially for traditional fishers. Each lost day counts because fishermen take loans for their day-to-day operations as well as to procure fishing gear and other equipment, he added.
The Kerala Matsya Thozhilali Federation too has demanded more accurate weather predictions to help fishermen. V.D. Majeendran of the federation said that the community of scientists engaged in sending out warning should also utilise the traditional knowledge of fishermen to more accurately issue warnings.
Loss of fishing days due to weather warnings combined with a general fish drought has plunged fishermen into hard days.
The Union and State governments must come forward to provide compensation to fishermen for the days of fishing loss, he added.