Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, May 31: The fishing season on the Karnataka coast ends on May 31. Only traditional fishing will be allowed until July 31 in rivers and the sea.

Mechanised boating is prohibited from June 1 to July 31 to allow the breeding of fish, as the rainy season is the breeding time for sea creatures. Additionally, during the monsoon, the sea becomes violent with huge waves and high-velocity winds, posing a danger to boats and fishermen.

Many boats have already anchored in fishing ports before the official closure of the fishing season due to the non-availability of fish in the sea. The rest of the boats that have gone for deep-sea fishing will return on Friday and anchor for the next two months.

Only 10 HP engine boats and traditional boats are allowed to continue fishing until July 31 in rivers and sea shores. However, these fishermen will get a bounty of fish only if the monsoon rains are heavy enough for the freshwater from rivers to flow into the sea, and cyclones, which turn the water upside down in the sea, occur.

This fishing year, most of the mechanised boat owners faced losses. Generally, the beginning and end of the season are very profitable for fishing boat owners. However, this year, although fish was abundant at the beginning of the season, prices were low. Now, at the end of the season, prices are high, but fish is not available in large quantities in the deep sea. Nearly 50% of boats have been anchored since March.

Udupi district's joint director of fisheries says that last year's poor monsoon caused less fish breeding. Additionally, the real reason might be known only to sea scientists, according to the joint director of fisheries.

In the Mangaluru fishing port, 3.33 metric tonnes of fish were caught in 2022-23. For 2023-24, the total catch is just 1.89 metric tonnes. In Udupi-Kundapur, the catch was 1.91 metric tonnes in 2022-23. In 2023-24, there was a slight increase to 2.37 metric tonnes.