After the COVID-19 pandemic brought all houseboat operations to a halt, owners and employees are looking for new pastures to make a living.
While some have turned to agriculture, launching cafes, and online fish sales, others have taken up odd jobs.
In one such instance to tide over the crisis caused by the pandemic, a houseboat owner in Alappuzha has converted a swimming pool in one of his vessels into a fish farm. “The entire tourism industry has been shattered by the pandemic. We contemplated several ideas to fight and overcome the present crisis before settling on starting a fish farm in our houseboat’s swimming pool,” says Tomy Pulickattil, chairman of Pulickattil Houseboats.
Biofloc method
Around 350 fingerlings of Tilapia were deposited in a 6,000-litre capacity pool atop the boat two months ago. The farming is done using biofloc method.
Although fish farming in a limited way will not cover the huge losses suffered in recent months, the firm expects to make some income through pisciculture.
“It is a pilot project. We expect the fish to grow 250-300 gram before the harvest in November,” says Tobu Pulickattil, managing director of the firm.
Mr. Tobu says that through pisciculture, they are able to engage the employees of the houseboats which remain anchored since March.
“We are assisted by experts and government officials in this new venture. Our plan is to start farm tourism in the boat when houseboat operations are resumed post pandemic,” he says.
Many more houseboat operators are expected to follow suit as they try to stay afloat.
According to operators, the houseboat sector is staring at an uncertain future following the outbreak and subsequent lockdown dealing a hammer blow.
There are 1,500 houseboats in the State, a majority of them in Alappuzha.
Thousands of people are directly attached to the sector and many thousands indirectly.
A majority of them have already lost their jobs.
