Fishermen happy with catch, but let down by low prices

They seek State govt.’s intervention in this issue

Though a majority of the fishermen in Rameswaram, who returned to the shore on Thursday, claimed to have got a good catch, they expressed disappointment over the low prices offered for fish varieties by buyers.

After the end of the 61-day ban period, fishermen had ventured into the sea in 650 mechanised boats from Rameswaram, Pamban and Mandapam on Tuesday, said Fisheries Department officials.

Speaking to The Hindu, fishermen leader Jesu Raja said during the ban period, boats had to be repaired and painted, and new fish nets purchased. In the process, boat owners had to cough up around ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh each. Similarly, on the first day of resumption of fishing, they had to purchase diesel and ice, the prices of which too had gone up steeply.

When the fishermen returned to the shore with a good catch, they were disappointed as the buyers, who were mostly from export firms, offered very low prices for the fish varieties. The fishermen had to sell them at low prices, Mr. Jesu Raja said, and sought the immediate intervention of the State government to solve the issue.

The fishermen were already looking for assistance from the governments. This forced selling of fishes at low prices looked like the result of cartelisation, he said.

A few fishermen associations strongly objected to the action of the buyers.

If the government failed to intervene in the issue, the fishermen might even be forced to launch a strike, Mr. Jesu Raja said, adding the government could suspend the ban period to enable the fishermen to go for fishing without a break.