Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Jun 13: The fishing season is over in coastal Karnataka as usual. Deep sea fishing is prohibited from June 1 to July 31. It is said that the price of fish is going to escalate due to the ban.

Fishing is one of the main industries of coastal district of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada. Thousands of crores of business is done during the fishing season. Every year, fishing is banned in the months of June and July as it is breeding time for the fishes. Thousands of deep sea fishing boats are anchored during the two months.

In addition to breeding time of fishes, June and July months are beginning of monsoon. During this time the waves will be violent in the sea and there is possibility that it might capsize the boats. For this reason also the fishing is banned.

As the deep sea fishing is banned, the sales will be down by 20 to 30 percent. On the other hand, the demand will be the same, which will result in higher prices.

Bengaluru is at equidistant from west and east coasts of India. Fish is stocked in huge quantities in the capital city. It is said that the fishing ban in coastal districts will affect the fish sales in Russell market.

In the midst of the fish ban in Karnataka coast, the fishing ban in Tamil Nadu that began on April 15 is going to end on June 14.

According to fish merchants in Bengaluru, generally they buy 500 to 600 kg of fish during season. However, when there is ban only 200 to 250 kg of fish is available. Hence, they stock fish in advance in cold storage.