Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru/ Udupi (DC)

Mangaluru/Udupi, May 21: As per the instructions from the meteorological department, the fishermen from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been asked not to venture into the sea for fishing for the next 48 hours.

The warning has been issued by the meteorological department that the weather system was likely to intensify into a deep depression and bring heavy rain in the western coast of Arabian Sea.

The depression is moving towards the North-West direction in Gulf countries Oman and Yemen with a speed of 35 to 45 km/h. Squally winds reaching 45-55 km/hr in speed and gusting to 65 km/hr are likely in the Arabian Sea, as per the weather forecast.

Deputy Director of Fisheries Mahesh Kumar said,”We have already warned the fishermen not to venture into the sea for the next 48 hours. Since ban on fishing will be imposed from June 1 for the next 60 days, the fishermen have left for deep sea fishing. They will not be able to return by May 28. Yet we have warned them about the unpredictable weather,”

The fishing in the coast has been affected due to cyclone and the ban imposed by the meteorological department has been extended to further 15 days. The fisheries department is expected to reach the target of producing 1.4 lac million tonnes of fish for the year 2017-18. Till March end they have produced 1.28 lac million tonnes and will not reach the target by May.

However, B Parshwanath, Deputy Director of Fisheries, said that fishing has not been affected much.