Traditional fishermen, numbering about 2.5 lakh along the Karnataka coast, who suffered a double whammy with fish famine and COVID-19 lockdown in the last six months, have now begun preparing for the monsoon.
“Unlike the previous couple of seasons, this monsoon we hope the weather would be favourable to get sufficient catch,” said B.H. Kumar, former president of Byndoor Valaya Nada Doni Meenugarara Sangha. He was among several fishermen who was winding up the season’s fishing activities at Koderi Fishing Harbour abutting Yadamavinahole river in Byndoor taluk of Udupi district on Wednesday.
Mr. Kumar said the Arabian Sea witnessed unusual cyclones last monsoon, preventing traditional fishermen from entering the sea. “We need toofan (storms) at regular intervals during the monsoon wherein marine life comes up following convulsions in the sea. However, there were none last year,” he said.
Yet, fishermen are gearing up for a favourable monsoon this time. “We need different fishing gear for the monsoon,” said Santhosh, a fisherman at Koderi. Unlike regular heavy fishing gear, fishermen use light-weight nets during the monsoon so that they can drag back the net in the turbulent weather, he explained. As such, they were cleaning the nets and keeping them tidy for the next fishing season.
Fishing holiday
The State governments along the West Coast declare 61-day fishing holiday from June 1 to July 31 when mechanised vessels (trawlers, gil-netters etc.,) are prohibited from undertaking fishing to facilitate fish breeding. However, these restrictions do not apply to traditional fishermen who use either motorised (up to 10 HP) or non-motorised small boats.
When marine produces are not abundantly available during fishing holiday, traditional fishermen are in an advantageous position if the weather is favourable, said Mr. Santhosh. Karnataka has about 8,500 motorised fishing boats and 8,000 mechanised fishing vessels across the three coastal districts. Fishermen, traditional as well as those in mechanised vessels, have suffered extensive losses this fishing season due to severe fish famine coupled with the COVID-19 lockdown.