The 61-day annual ban on fishing along the Andhra Pradesh coast will end on June 14 midnight. However, only 50 per cent of the mechanized boats will venture out due to shortage of labour, logistics and funds. Over 700 mechanized boats and fishing trawlers at Vizag fishing harbour are engaged in deep-sea fishing targeting popular varieties of fish such as seer fish, silver pomfret, tuna and tiger prawn. Around 300 to 350 mechanized boat operators are preparing to resume fishing from June 16 from various locations in the district aiming to catch export quality prawn and fish.
“Initially, we decided to postpone fishing activity till June 30. But some boat operators are reluctant to postpone. Hence, we decided to resume fishing from June 16. Fishermen community will participate in the annual Gangamam Jatara festival in Vizag city on June 15 before resuming the fishing activity,” said Ch Satyanarayana Murthy, president of Dolphin Boat Operators’ Welfare Association. Due to shortage of ice, crew members and financial problems, the remaining mechanized boat owners will resume fishing after one or two weeks. Each boat owner will spend at least Rs 3 to 4 lakh (diesel, ice, groceries and a few others) for a 10-to-15 day trip, he added. Some boat operators are expecting that the first trip after the ban on trawling will result in a good catch of prawn and fish. But a few others are skeptical as in many times they had failed to get a good catch during the initial trip.
Seafood lovers in Vizag said they will get popular varieties of fish and quality prawn most likely from the last week of June. Due to the annual fishing ban, seafood lovers had no chance to relish silver pomfret, seer fish and tiger Prawn. The fish and prawn from Vizag harbour are sent to various parts of the country as well as foreign destinations. Boat operators fear a decline in transport due to partial lockdown in various parts of the country.