While natural fish stocks continue to fall due to various reasons, the fisheries sector in Kerala is facing another serious threat -- targeted juvenile catch to meet the growing demand for fish meal.
Unlike the surplus by-catch that went to the fish meal fish oil (FMFO) industries earlier, now shoals of edible juveniles are caught and dispatched to plants located outside Kerala. Huge volumes of edible varieties, including sardine and pink perch, are now found in the consignments -- a practice that can be catastrophic to the marine environment and livelihood of fishers.
Decline
“Many of the boats now supply fish below the minimum legal size to the FMFOs as they pay well. Compared to previous years there has been a noticeable decline in catch and now many boats come back with whatever they get. The factory agents take all varieties and many days that’s our only income,” says Salim, a fisher.
With the growth of aquafeed market, catering to FMFOs has become a more lucrative option and the consignments from Kerala mainly go to plants in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Goa.
“Currently a small crate to the factories will fetch you around ₹1,000, which is more profitable than selling it to small-scale vendors. Earlier their rates were not so high and suddenly everybody is doing business with them. Fishers who have been struggling with low catch and loss of working days are counting this as an opportunity. They say this will take care of their fuel expense at least,” says Mariam, a fish vendor.
Standard rate
Since the industry offers a standard rate for a crate irrespective of the kind of fish, the species will change according to availability from juvenile pelagics to many others.
“You don’t have to go in search of shoals or wait for long. You can come back with whatever you get and sell it to the agent,” says Jackson, a fisherman. Very often the juvenile catch is not brought to the harbour since the transaction takes place in the sea. “The crafts inform the agents and they go to the sea with carrier boats to offload the catch.
Several crates are taken to the waiting trucks and these agents arrange everything. Sometimes there will be hardly any fish left for auctioning,” he adds. According to experts and elderly fishermen, the dangerous practice will lead to extinction, not depletion. “If they are opting to supply varieties with low market value to the factories, it is their choice. But targeting juveniles will lead to a total collapse in the stock and affect the marine ecosystem.” They point out the huge inflow from other sectors and the consequent lack of awareness as main reasons for the practice.
