NAGAPATTINAM: Prices of fishes spiked as fish trade witnessed brisk activity at the Nagapattinam fishing harbour on Sunday following the return of mechanised boats after the end of the 61-day annual fishing ban.
Being the first Sunday after the two-month ban, the harbour witnessed heavy crowds of traders, seafood lovers, local buyers, and retailers since early morning to purchase fresh catch. This made it the busiest trading day since fishing operations resumed on June 15.
“Demand was further strengthened by the ongoing fishing ban along the Kerala coast, which brought a large number of Kerala-based traders to Nagapattinam. The increased demand from Kerala traders pushed up the prices of several fish varieties, especially export-quality species,” said S Selladurai, a fisherman from Akkaraipettai.
The price of seer fish (vanjaram) has doubled from `700/kg to `1,400/kg, while black pomfret increased from `1,500 to `1,700/kg. Trevally (paarai) now sells for `550-600 per kg, up from `400-450, and white pomfret has risen from `450 to `550/kg. Export-grade spotted crab prices have also increased from `450-500/kg to `650/kg.
However, the first round of fishing after the ban yielded mixed results, with fishermen reporting a sharp decline in fish stocks. They also pointed to the near disappearance of commonly consumed species, such as sardines, from their catches. “People are willing to pay higher prices, but sardine stocks are declining alarmingly. If this trend continues, sardines may soon become a thing of the past. This year, not a single boat has returned with a sardine catch,” said B Bharathi, a fisherman from Karaikal.
They also highlighted the increasing cost of fishing operations. “A single fishing trip now costs around `5 lakh to `6 lakh, with the sharp rise in diesel prices adding nearly `50,000 in extra expenditure per trip. The government should take measures to control fuel prices and reduce the financial burden on the fishing community,” said RMP Rajendra Nattar, president of the Indian National Fishermen Union.
