KOCHI: As the clock struck 12 on the night of July 31, the Kalamukku fishing harbour in Vypeen came alive. Fishermen who congregated at the harbour boarded the large trawlers. And with the 52-day trawling ban coming to an end, the fishermen set sail by 1am - a bit later than normal because of the incessant rain.
Given the struggles over the past two months, the fishermen are a bit worried about their prospects as small boats that ventured into the sea returned with the news of a massive reduction in fish numbers.
“A boat returned early morning yesterday for an unanticipated repair. The workers had already alerted us waiting on the shore that they weren’t getting much catch. They returned to the sea after the quick repair,” says P N Ratnakaran, a fisherman at the harbour.
The boat brought back some ocean perch (kilimeen). Ratnakaran believes all boats would be back by late night on Friday. “They will come back only after getting the necessary catch. They have to venture deeper into the sea to get the usual amount of fish. That also adds to the delay and struggles,” says the fisherman, awaiting further updates.
