Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)

Udupi, Jun 24: During the monsoon season, mechanized boat fishing is prohibited in the sea areas of Karnataka. Only traditional boat fishing is permitted. However, the catch from traditional boats is insufficient to meet the demand from fish enthusiasts in the coastal districts. Consequently, fish from neighbouring states like Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu are being procured and are in high demand.

Every day, tonnes of fish arrive at Malpe port on 15 trucks. While fishing is banned along the entire west coast of India from Kerala to Gujarat during the monsoon, the prohibition does not apply to the eastern coast. Once the fishing season begins on the west coast, the ban shifts to the east coast.

Fish varieties such as silver fish and small-sized mackerels from Odisha, sardines and small mackerels from Andhra Pradesh, and sardines from Tamil Nadu are being brought to Malpe port. According to fish traders, even traditional boats struggle to catch significant quantities of fish due to high-velocity winds. Only prawns are available in small amounts. Despite the monsoon season, lakhs of rupees worth of fish trading continues.

Due to the limited supply, fish prices have soared. A 25 kg box of small-sized mackerels now sells for Rs 4,000, while the price of sardines ranges from Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,000 per 25 kg box. Fresh silver fish is sold at Rs 150 to 160 per kg.

Dinesh G Suvarna, a fish trader from Malpe, stated, “Every year during the monsoon, fish from out-of-state are procured in coastal Karnataka, primarily from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. This leads to higher prices than usual. When our traditional boats catch a good amount of fish, the demand for out-of-state fish decreases, and so do the prices.”