PARAVOOR:Even as the flood due to the opening of the dams has brought in plenty of fish to rivers, fishermen are yet to reap financial benefits as there are no takers for fish in the market. Some of the fishermen have netted fish they have never seen before.
"The anglers and fishermen who spread nets at the river are getting plenty of fish these days. Some fishes are as long as one metre."A golden-coloured fish alleged to be Piranha are getting caught in large numbers. People from other places are coming to Varapuzha and Paravoor areas after hearing about big fish caught by the anglers these days," Sathyan a traditional fisherman in Paravoor, said.
However, what disappoints Sathyan is the low demand for fish this time. "If you visit the local fish markets, you can't see many people there. A majority of people are still depending on food provided by relief camps. Similarly, people are not ready to buy fish that they are not familiar with," he said.
The fishermen are also concerned about the arrival of dam fish in the river. "Some of these fish are predatory in nature. They will pry on the existing river fish. There are several fish farms operating in the area. Following the flood, these farm fish have reached rivers. We fear about African catfish which will pose a serious threat to other fish breeds. Some of the illegal farms in the locality are breeding African catfish," Ajayan, another fisherman, said.