With harbours closed, fishers in dire straits

Fewer options to sell their catch

The closure of fish landing centres and sales hubs attached to them in the wake of COVID-19 spread has made life miserable for the fishing community, which is already going through an unusually lean fishing season.

The spread of COVID-19 has led to all major harbours and their fish markets being shut down. Though the Thoppumpady harbour had closed for the trawl ban season, the market at the harbour has been closed as the area is now a containment zone.

Chellanam mini fishing harbour and Munambam too are locked down. The Kalamukku fishing harbour and wholesale centre is closed. Smaller landing centres like the ones at Fort Kochi and Kamalakkadavu too are closed, leaving no option for the fishers to sell their catch.

Financial trouble

At least half the 7.50 lakh fishers in the State was in serious trouble following the lockdown in coastal areas, said Charles George of Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedhi on Tuesday. He said there was no ban on fishing but all the markets were closed and the fishermen did not know what to do with their catch.

P.V. Jayan of Kerala Parambaragatha Matsya Thozhilali Samithi said that the government should take steps to ensure that fishers had an opportunity to sell their catch as they were in serious financial trouble.

Online sale

Meanwhile, fishermen, especially those owning small boats, have started online sale of their catch. Around eight boats that ventured out on Monday sold 1,000 to 1,200 kg of shrimp at prices ranging between ₹160 and ₹190 a kg, said Mr. Jayan. It was a good move as middlemen were being excluded gradually.

The govenrment must organise online sales in a bigger way with the help of agencies like Matsyafed, added Mr. Jayan.

There are around 500 small fibre and traditional boats based at Chellanam harbour. Kalamukku is base to around 60 large inboard engine fishing boats. The harbour is also one of the biggest wholesale centres for fish in the district. There are around 12 large inboard boats operated by fishermen settled between Chellanam and Fort Kochi. All these boats are unable to land anywhere between Chellanam and Munambam. The only option was the Azheekkal harbour, but there had been objection from some quarters against the harbour being used by fishermen from areas that had reported rapid COVID-19 spread, said Mr. Charles.

The community leaders said that the government must bring in strict control over both fishing activities and sales so that the present crisis could be overcome at least temporarily.

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