Fish, the staple food for a majority of coastal people, has been missing from the plates ever since declaration of the lockdown to combat COVID-19. Its absence is so pronounced that even fishermen, already bogged down by fish famine, were unable to have it in their menu.
The district administrations of three coastal districts - Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada - imposed a ban on deep sea fishing from March 23 itself and cut off diesel supply to vessels. It was aimed at preventing large gatherings of buyers at ‘dhakkes’ (fish landing points). Since then mechanised vessels have not ventured out, thereby drastically reducing supply of marine produce not only in the coast, but also across the State.
While traditional fishing is on in Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts, Dakshina Kannada district on April 4 said it cannot allow even motorised boats for conventional fishing for the fear of entry of people from Kerala to Mangaluru. Since State borders were sealed to prevent spread of COVID-19, there were instances of people from Kerala landing in Mangaluru through the sea route.
Shobendra Sasihithlu, President of Sasihithlu Fishermen Cooperative Society at Sasihithlu close to Udupi district border, told The Hindu that just a few conventional boats venture out in the early morning and come out with almost no catch. The famine has ruined the fishermen community, he regretted, adding even fishermen were unable to take home fish for their meal.
Eighty-five-year-old Vittal Gurikar, a fishermen head from Kapu in Udupi district, said he had not seen fish famine as severe as the present one during the last eight decades. Fishermen have not seen Silver fish, Sardine, Mackerel, Kingfish, Ladyfish and such other popular varieties for long, he said.
On the other hand, fish lovers in Udupi district have launched an online campaign - enkleg fish boadu (we need fish) - urging the district administration to relax conditions on fishing. Even if conventional fishermen come back with some catch, they were unable to sell it for lack of transportation and restrictions on gatherings, the campaigners said.
Consequently, prices of all fish varieties across the coast have more than doubled with Sardines selling at ₹250-300 a kg as against ₹100-150, Mackerels at ₹350-400 as against Rs. 150-200 and the like.
