Fishermen prepare their boats in Jakhau harbour, Kutch, on Wednesday. (Express Photo)

WHILE THE fishing season in Gujarat has begun two weeks earlier than normal this year, fishermen apprehend it could be a season of uncertainties due to little import demand from China and increased prices of diesel.

Abiding by the Central government directive for the west coast, the state government this year has changed fishing season from August 1 to May 31 instead of the traditional August 16 to June 10. This effectively means the season will have an early start.

“This is important as first two months of the season are most important in terms of catch and since fishing season would begin late in Gujarat, fishermen from other states, where the season begins early, used to fish in coastal waters off Gujarat coast,” said Jivan Jungi, president of Porbandar district unit of Sagar Party, an organisation working for rights of fishermen.

But fishermen are staring at uncertainties. “On one hand, there is enthusiasm that the fishing season is starting early after a lost season last year due to multiple cyclones and coronavirus-related lockdown… But fishermen are worried about high prices of fuel and a bleak market outlook for fish,” said Jadavji Posteria, secretary of Porbandar Jilla Machhimar Mahamandal, one of the associations of fishermen in Porbandar.

But Posteria said that high prices of diesel which large fishing trawlers use as fuel as well as kerosene and petrol used by smaller boats is a matter of concern. He said that diesel prices have climbed to Rs 76.75 per litre against average Rs 55 to Rs 60 last season.

Setting sail this season seems a big risk, says Kishor Kotiya, owner of fishing trawler Ratansagar in Porbandar. “…Fish traders are telling me that fish prices would be low this season as there is no import demand from China…,” Kotiya said.

Fisheries officers said that another 1,000 boats from Okha harbour in Devbhumi Dwarka district and 200 from Jakhau harbour in Kutch district have set sail for their maiden trips so far.

Exporters said China, the biggest market of seafood from Gujarat, has turned cold since the beginning of this calendar year due to Covid-19 pandemic. “Around 80 per cent of exports from Gujarat go to China where our fish is quite popular in restaurants. But restaurants are closed there due to the Covid-19 pandemic. If the situation persists, price of fish in local market will remain under pressure,” said Karsan Salet, a leading seafood exporter of Porbandar and who is also a member of managing committee of Seafood Exporters Association of India.

Salet said that Gujarat exports average 4,500 tonnes of seafood worth Rs 5,000 crore to China annually but the growing border tension between the two countries can affect this trade.

But fisheries minister Jawahar Chavda said the state government was helping the fishermen in form of fuel subsidy. “We have Rs 200 crore annual subsidy budget. While our subsidy scheme may not cover all the fishermen, the government has to keep the subsidy bill under control.

But we are helping them by expeditiously releasing the subsidy,” Chavda told The Indian Express.