NELLORE: Majority of fishermen have turned daily wagers as they are not getting adequate fish after venturing into sea. Fishermen of the coastal mandals have been moving to urban areas for livelihood and meanwhile some of them have become agricultural labourers.There are 12 coastal mandals from Tada to Sullurupeta in the district. As many as 1.98 lakh fishermen community are residing in 108 coastal villages. In all, 47,792 fishermen are solely dependent on fishing for their livelihood, according to official sources. There are 7,203 boats, including 3,885 traditional, 3,297 motor and 21 mechanised ones, in the coastal villages.
Normally, fishermen venture into the sea in mechanised boats. Each mechanised boat can accommodate 8 to 10 fishermen along with their commodities to venture into the sea for about 10 to 25 days. “We are not getting adequate fish though we have been venturing into the sea due to change in climatic conditions. We are forced to turn daily wagers. Now, we are moving to the district headquarter as daily wagers in a private company,” said K Ravi, a fisherman of Tupilipalem.
As most of them cannot do any work other than fishing, they are maintaining their families by borrowing money from middlemen and owners of companies engaged in marine exports. Fishermen families especially in Nawabpeta, Pudiraidoruvu, Pudikuppam, Kondurupalem, Anjalapuram, Tupilipalem in Vakadu mandal and also some of the villages in TP Gudur mandal are also facing hardships.“Though we have been venturing into the sea, for the past 15 days we have not been getting adequate fish. We are borrowing money from lenders for sustenance. Now, we are moving to agriculture works in the fields as daily labourers,” said K Polaiah of Chittamur mandal.