BENGALURU: The 61-day annual marine fishing ban will come into effect along the coastal region from June 1 to July 31. Bengaluru’s fish sellers and traders say the ban reduces sales by at least 20 to 30 per cent, pushing up prices exponentially. However, cold storage and an increase in demand for frozen foods have stabilised the market over the years.
Bengaluru is located equidistant from the East and West coasts, from where fish is procured. Currently, the fishing ban is in place along the Tamil Nadu coast; it started on April 15 and will end on June 14. Though there is no change in the variety of fish, the ban will impact the quantity on sale at the city’s Russell Market.
The objective of the ban on deep-sea fishing is to regulate fishing practices and preserve marine resources during the monsoon, which is the breeding period of important fish species. Fishermen, however, are permitted to engage in coastal fishing activities using motorized engines with a capacity of up to 10HP, as well as country boats.
Altaf Khan, who works at BS Basha Fish Merchant, a wholesale supplier, said, “We regularly procure 500 to 600kgs of fish from Mangaluru, Odisha, Maharashtra, Goa and other coastal regions. During the ban, we get only 200 to 250kgs.” He added that customers tend to avoid buying fish in this period due to high prices, which leads to loss of business. Khan said during the ban, the fish come from same areas but “the quantities reduce and we have to opt for cold storage beforehand”.
Another seller, Syed Nawaz, who puts up a small stall in the market, said, “The Indian mackerel is currently priced at Rs 180-200, in the coming months, it will cost Rs 250-300.” Similarly, Tuna prices will go up from Rs 220 to Rs 280-300. Nawaz procures 40 to 50 kgs of fish every day, and is expecting sales to slide by 30 to 40 per cent.
The Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd said the fishing ban has been cut down from three months to two. Fisheries Joint Director Harish Kumar said, “The ban was reduced as the sea is not too rough in August to carry out fishing activities.”
Dinesh Kumar, Additional Director, Fisheries department, said, “There will be a slight price rise, given the ban, but currently the city has enough private cold storage facility to meet demand.”