KOCHI: The mechanised fishing boats that ventured into the sea after the 52-day-long trawl ban had to return to the shore on Monday afternoon as rough sea conditions and heavy wind posed challenge. However, the fishermen were happy as a few boats got good catch.
“The initial reports are encouraging. A fishing boat that set off from Kochi harbour got threadfin bream worth Rs 2 lakh. Two other boats got catch worth Rs 80,000. The boats that ventured into sea from Neendakara in Kollam district also got good catch.
However, the boats had to return in a haste in the afternoon as the sea turned rough and there was strong wind. Four fishermen fell into the sea as a boat was caught in rough waves at Neendakara. They were rescued by workers of another boat,” said All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association general secretary Joseph Xavier Kalappurackal.