Local Fishermen in Trouble: Click to Know Why

Local Fishermen in Trouble: Click to Know Why

August 20: The fishing season had begun on August 1 after the 61-day ban on fishing. The fishermen, who ventured into deep sea fishing, have incurred huge loss due to strike by fish meal industries from August 1 and also due to inclement weather.
Fish meal industries are on strike opposing Centre’s decision to collect goods and services tax (GST) from fish meal and related products. Prior to GST, fish meal industries were exempted from all taxes.
The fishermen, who returned with huge quantity of Rani fish (Pink Perch) and ‘Kappe Bondas’ (cuttlefish), have incuured loss as they have no buyers due to the strike by fishmeal industries. These fishes are usually sold to fishmeal industries and are not sold in open market due to poor patronage of customers.
Purse Seine Boat Owners President Mohan Bengre said that strike by fish meal industries and the inclement weather prevented the fishermen from venturing into deep-sea fishing and had caused huge loss. He said on an average Rani fish fetches Rs 50 to Rs 60 per kg. Boats that had gone for fishing had returned with 1 tonne to 1.5 tonnes of Rani fish and Kappe Bondas. According to fishermen, a trawl boat filled with 5,000 litres of diesel ventures into deep sea fishing. The fish catch is commercially viable if it exceeds Rs 6 lakh. About 50% of the boats had remained anchored at the Old Port. There are 450 to 500 deep-sea trawlers, of which 200 trawlers had gone for deep-sea fishing. There are 82 purse seine boats.
Trawl Boat Owners Association President Nithin Kumar said that fishermen have extended moral support to the fish meal industries but are incurring loss. he also mentioned that the problem is not restricted to Mangalore alone but all the fishermen in the coasts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are facing problems.