Considering the fact that around 4,000 litres of diesel are required per boat for a tenday trip to the sea, fishermen will now have to bear an additional cost of Rs 18,000-24,000 per trip.
Dolphin Boat Operators Association president K Satyanarayana demanded that the hike be rolled back immediately as it would seriously affect the livelihood of fishermen.
“We are now seeing a complete change in the cost of bringing the catch to market,” he said. “It is also likely that if current trend continues, the fishing effort will decrease, and, possibly, the number of boats fishing in blue waters decline as it will become too expensive,” he lamented.
The cost of fish and chips could rise by 50 per cent. The way of working around the rise is for the fish price to increase. If the fish rates go up, the market would come down and the merchants, in turn would be affected, he added.