Monsoon fishing starts in Udupi as fish price raise sky high

By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 18 June 2011: Though the human has advanced, still he has to surrender before the nature. Therefore, naturally he will have some kind of fear of the nature and will have surrendering attitude against it. With this same attitude the fishermen of Udupi district offered prayers to Sea God at Malpe sea shore, asking to save them, prior to proceeding on monsoon fishing.

 

Like every year the summer fishing has already ended and now the monsoon fishing has started. As per their tradition the Mogaveera community fishermen prior to going for fishing offered prayers to their family deity Kulamastiyamma at Bennekudru, Mahalakshmi of Uchchila and Vadabandeshwara God near Malpe. The flowers, fruits and prasada brought from these three places they offered to Sea God.

 

On this occasion Fisheries Worker’s Sangha President Rama Kanchan, Country boat Fishermen Sangha President Janardhana Thingalaya prayed to Sea God to protect the lives and properties of the fishermen who go for monsoon fishing and that they get plenty of catch. Also present on this occasion under the leadership of Narayana Myndan, Shankara Salyan, Krishnappa Amin, Gopala Suvarna, Sadashiva Kanchan; 82 fishermen, two representatives each from the 42 country fishermen groups.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With continuous fishing there are possibilities of considerable reduction in the fish population. Monsoon is the time for fishes to lay eggs and reproduce. With this scientific reason, avoiding fishing in this season will give a chance to increase its population, and hence the fishing is banned in the sea from 15th June for 45 days. Also, since the sea will be rough during this time there will be risk to the lives of fishermen, their boats and nets, so to avoid this deep fishing is banned during this time.

 

But during these banned days fishermen are allowed to fish using manual country boats and less than 10 HP capacity motor boats. The country boat fishing starts after the prayers offered on Friday to Sea God and will continue until the end of rainy season.

 

From 15th June once the deep water fishing is banned, the quantity of fish coming to market has reduced considerably, as a result fish has got very expensive. Also no fresh fish is available in the market, even in hotels tasteless frozen fish is available, which has caused inconvenience to fish eaters.

 

As the availability of fish has reduced, the chicken, meat and eggs will have more demand, resulting raise in their price. Altogether, the monsoon deep water fishing ban causes bitter experience to those who likes to have hot fish and meat.