Marine fish may cost more in the coming days as the government has prohibited deep sea fishing across the State’s coastline from Monday till further orders to prevent assembly of large gatherings at Dhakkes (fish landing points) in view of COVID-19.
The Fisheries Department in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts have issued individual orders prohibiting all kinds of deep sea fishing activities. They have also stopped supply of subsidised diesel to mechanised vessels at the designated fishing harbours in these districts.
The department has said that deep sea fishing activities result in gathering of large number of people at Dhakkes and go against the government directive on maintaining social distancing. Hence, it was necessary to restrain such activities till further orders.
Fishing vessels that have already ventured into the sea are allowed to return with the catch till Tuesday, the government has said. Mangaluru Trawl Boat Owners Association president Nithin Kumar told The Hindu that the Fisheries Department has cautioned against venturing into the sea. The department has also said that diesel would not be made available to mechanised vessels. It was aimed at preventing gathering of hundreds of people at Dhakkes at ports, he said and added that many traders from Kerala too arrived in Mangaluru to procure fish.
In Udupi
Udupi Additional Deputy Commissioner B. Sadashiva Prabhu said that the administration had held a meeting in this regard with fishermen associations on Saturday urging them to exercise restraint. Vessels have not ventured out since Sunday and only those who have sailed out before Saturday may return to respective Dhakkes, Mr. Prabhu said.
He said that workers engaged in deep sea fishing should not be sent out to their native places during the period.
Coastal Karnataka Fishermen Action Committee from Uttara Kannada district vice-president K.T. Thandel said that almost all mechanised vessels in the district stopped deep sea fishing about a month ago following fish famine.
