Prices of seafood in Thoothukudi have shot up in the wake of declining fish catch over the past few days. Even after fishing operations by mechanised boats resumed following the end of the 45-day annual ban period along the east coast, the catch is not up to the desired level. A few days after lifting of the ban on May 29, a majority of the fishing fleet in Thoothukudi fishing harbour netted moderate amount of fish. But, later, the fish catch shrunk. As a result, many boat operators were hesitant to engage in fishing, S. Xavier Vaz, president, Thoothukudi Mechanised Boat Owners’ Association, told The Hindu here on Saturday.
Unusually, the fish market witnessed a very thin crowd as availability of fish was sparse and prices were soaring. G. Arputharaj, a fish vendor, said even the procurement price turned costlier for the most preferred fish varieties. One kg of ‘vila’ fish, ‘oola’ fish and ‘para’ fish was procured at Rs.350 at the landing centre. The price of ‘seela’ ranged from Rs. 600 to Rs.1,000 a kg. But the selling price at the market was even higher, he said. Not even during the fishing ban period, the seafood prices had turned so high.
It also became an uphill task to supply seafood to hoteliers, who had placed orders. Since the annual 45-day ban on fishing by trawlers remains in effect along the west coast, traders from Kerala had also been procuring fish from Thoothukudi, D. Johnson, another vendor, said. Normally, six to seven pieces of ‘chala’, a small sized fish, which happens to be a permanent fixture in the lunch menu of households here, used to be sold at Rs. 10. But, now, only four ‘chala’ fish could be bought at Rs.20. Joint Director of Fisheries R. Amal Xavier said seawater current fluctuations had resulted in the dwindling seafood catch.
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Referring to typical saying of fishermen, he said the fish catch would be good during “‘sonivadu’-- the period when seawater current moves from the south to north. During ‘vanivadu’, the water current is between north and south and not favourable for fishing. Out of 248 mechanised boats in the fishing harbour, only 183 had set out to sea on Saturday, he said. Only when a large boat netted fish worth Rs.1.40 lakh after incurring an expenditure on 1,200 litres of diesel on a fishing day, the boat owner would not suffer loss. As for medium sized boat, which consumes 800 litres of diesel, fish worth Rs. 80,000 to Rs.90,000 should be caught to avoid loss. It required 600 litres of diesel for a small boat, which needed Rs.60,000 worth fishes to avoid loss, Mr. Vaz said.