Around 50 boats from Kasimedu fishing harbour that went out to sea after the recent Phailin cyclone are stuck at the Krishnapatnam harbour in Andhra Pradesh due to rough seas.
M. Amanullah, a boat driver-cum-owner, said he went to fish near Krishnapatnam on Thursday but bad weather drove him inside the harbour. On Tuesday, he said he is returning to Chennai as the local fishermen there are very hostile.
“We have just enough catch to avoid any loss. The fisherfolk at Krishnapatnam demanded fish and when we refused to part with our catch, they said they would harm us. A boat stays right at the entrance of the harbour and takes down our phone numbers and addresses and also demands fish. Otherwise, they said, we wouldn’t be let inside,” he said.
M.D. Dayalan of Indian Fishermen Association said the fishermen ventured into the sea during rough weather as there is no adequate warning from the State fisheries department.
“A notice board that used to be inside the fishing harbour has been moved to the A.D. Fisheries office, which is of no use to fisherfolk. Notice boards must be placed and advance warning must be provided to fisherfolk,” he said.
He also said the State government must take steps to provide assistance to fishermen stuck in harbours in Andhra Pradesh.
‘Poor catch this year’
A. Anistan, who has just returned from a fishing expedition, said the catch is not as good as he had expected. “The total expenditure was Rs. 4.70 lakh and we could get catch worth just Rs. 2.70 lakh. We are getting another net ready and waiting for the sea to calm down before venturing out again,” he said.
During monsoon, fishermen wait for cyclones to cross the coast and then venture into the sea as the churning brings up more fish than usual. This, despite the fact that the seas are rougher than usual. This is also crab season since the churning brings up creatures from the sea bed.
“Apart from some sankara, nethili, navara and surupu karai, we got 10 baskets of green crab and sold them for Rs. 400 a kg on Sunday. Since it is the end of the Puratasi month — when many people refrain from non-vegetarian food — we got good prices. Otherwise, the crabs don’t fetch more than Rs. 100 a kg,” said K. Dhanapal, who works in K. Panneer’s boat.
Hundreds of boats at Kasimedu fishing harbour are waiting for good winds to go fishing. The fishermen have been repairing nets, loading water and ice blocks and provisions.
