While the harvest of shrimp varieties belied the expectation of the mechanised fishing sector here on Monday, the first day of fishing after the 47-day trawl ban, it was the poor price of shrimps at the auction halls of the Shakthikulangara-Neendakara twin fishing harbours that worried the boat owners more.
After setting sail by midnight on Sunday, the first fleet of boats began returning by 11 a.m. These were medium and small mechanised boats that target shrimp shoals. The harvest of shrimps was not all together poor but definitely belied expectations, said boat owners. But it was the poor price factor that virtually cast a pall of gloom over the harbours.
Joy Mathias, vice-president of the Kollam District Seafood Agents Association, said that on the first day post trawl ban last year, the prized and export-oriented karikadi (marine shrimp) fetched Rs.150 a kg at the auction hall. But on Monday the price hovered around Rs.90 a kg and that was highly disappointing to the boat owners.
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Exporters cite a lull in the international processed shrimp markets as the cause for the poor price. On an average each boat earned Rs.60,000 by selling the catch on the first day. Big difference in price was also seen for other shrimp varieties. Though some boats returned with good catch of kazhanthan (jinga shrimp), it fetched only Rs.80 to Rs.90 a kg at the auction hall compared to the Rs.250 a kg it fetched on the first day last year.
Tiger prawns and ocean black prawns also fetched poor prices compared to last year.
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The bigger boats will return only after five to seven days of fishing. These are boats that target the export-oriented squid, cuttlefish and kilimeen (pink perch). The price of these will be known only when the catch is brought to the auction hall. Mr. Joy said that the low price would definitely affect the industry though many were hopeful that prices would pick up in the coming days.