Fish prices, fuelled by a serious fall in landings, are spiralling as fishermen warn of “serious consequences in the future” under the current sea conditions, which they describe as ‘drought-like’.
Big-sized mackerals and black pomfrets saw the biggest price movements, market sources said on Wednesday. Mackerals were being sold on Wednesday at the retail outlets for prices ranging between Rs. 230 and Rs. 240, they said.
“However, the price of locally-grown shrimp has remained somewhat steady between Rs. 400 and Rs. 450 a kg, thanks largely to a fall in demand for vannamei shrimps in the export market,” sources said.
The locally-landed sardines is the only fish variety that has seen some cooling in price from the previous level of Rs. 120 a kg. They were sold for between Rs. 90 and Rs.100 a kg on Wednesday. Generally considered the poor man’s fish, sardine prices went over the price of chicken in the local markets about a month ago. The onset of monsoon was expected to cool the price of sardines further but a ‘drought-like’ situation in the sea meant that the coastal waters were too warm for the fish variety, said Charles George of Fisheries Coordination Committee.
P.G. Jayakumar of Njarakkal-Nayarambalam fishermen’s development and welfare cooperative highlighted the fall in fish landings this season by pointing out that, on Tuesday, sardine landings in substantial quantities were reported only from Anchuthengu in Kollam and from Chompala in Kannur.
“All-time delicacies like pearl spots, seer fishes and silver mullets are beyond the reach of common man though traditional fishermen are unable to take advantage of the high prices because of the poor catch,” said an official of fisheries apex cooperative Matsyafed.
Matsyafed Chairman V. Dinakaran said since the 2004 tsunami, there had been serious changes in the sea conditions. Mr. George said only about 20 to 30 traditional boats were venturing daily out of Kochi and its neighbouring harbours out of a normal-time average of 50 to 60. This is because of the poor catch. The Matsyafed official pointed out that the lower number of crafts going off the Kochi coast could also be attributed to the fact that many workers were taken in by the 61-day ban on fishing imposed by the Union Government off the West Coast.
