The 61-day trawling ban on territorial waters in Tamil Nadu, which began in mid-April, has resulted in a steep increase in fish prices in the city. According to fish vendors the prices are soaring due to falling fish supplies resulting from the ban. A month into the ban and the availability of most of the commonly seen fish varieties including oil sardines, mackerel, pomfret and squids have come down. Similarly, there is scarcity of river fish like yellow catfish, orange chromide fish and mystus. We depend mainly on Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka for the supply of oil sardines and mackerel. The acute scarcity and spiralling demand have led to steep increase in the prices of most sought-after fish varieties. Oil sardines, which were in the range of Rs 90-100, now cost Rs 180 per kg at Ernakulam market. Earlier, around 20 to 25 tonnes of sardines and mackerel used to arrive at Ernakulam market from Tamil Nadu daily. But for the past few weeks, we are only getting 3 to 5 tonnes. We are not getting sufficient oil sardines but the demand is high. So, naturally the price will go up, said P S Hamsa, a wholesale fish dealer at Ernakulam market. Oil sardines, once considered to be poor man’s fish no longer seems to be affordable given the huge rise in the price. The price of mackerel, the second most popular fish after sardines has shot up from Rs 160 to Rs 180 per kg, said Hamsa. As oil sardines and mackerels became too costly to afford, the demand for river fishes shot up. The price of major river fishes including yellow catfish, orange chromide and mystus are at an all-time-high. White mullet (poomeen) which was earlier sold for Rs.30/kg is now being sold for Rs180/kg. The price of yellow catfish has shot up from Rs 50 to Rs 100 per kg, said C B Azeez, fish merchant at Ernakulam market. Pearl spot costs between Rs 600 and Rs 700 per kg while seer fish cost around Rs 750 per kg in the market. Shrimps cost around Rs 500 per kg while prawns cost between Rs 300-400 per kg. Medium-size prawns cost around Rs 250 per kg. Interestingly, people are ready to buy expensive fishes like pearl spot and seer fish regardless of the price. Hotels and restaurants are their major buyers, said Azeez. However, fish vendors in Aluva market said that the spiralling price rise has affected their sales. The price rise is affecting the common man, fishermen and fish vendors equally, as rates have gone up from the end of April, 2018. Prices of most sought-after fishes like sardines and mackerel have gone up. Pearl spot, seer fish and cobia are now being sold for Rs 550, Rs 750 and Rs 480 respectively. Earlier, around 50 to 100 people used to come to our fish market but these days hardly any people come to buy fish, said Babu P, a fish vendor at Aluva market. Charles George, president, Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedi, said that the prices will cool down in the coming days. The trawling ban alone is not resulting in the price rise. The scarcity is because fishers have been not able to venture into the sea due to adverse weather, he said.