Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Feb 22: The fish industry of coastal Karnataka is facing a tough time. For the first time in the history of fishing, a terrible fish famine has hit the estern coast. Fishermen are devastated as they do not find fish in the waters of Arabian Sea off the coast of the twin districts.

The availability of fish has gone down considerably in the Arabian Sea due to the rise in global temperature as well as unscientific way of fishing. More than 80% of the boats have anchored on the shore because of this phenomenon.

Generally from January itself the fish catch would be abundant. However, this year the fishermen are not able to get the expected catch. Labourers, mostly from the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh work in the trawl boats of the twin districts. Now they are sitting idle.

More than 30,000 people earn their livelihood through the fish industry. But now all of them are in dire straits, including the Ice plants which supply ice to the boats, labourers who handle the fish after it reaches the port and also fish traders.

Due to unscientific fishing also the fish wealth in sea is depleting. Fishermen are using light fishing method which is banned by the central government. Due to the high voltage of the lights used in this method, the food of fishes is getting burnt and the fishes are dying because of this.

Compared to last year, the fishing industry has lost Rs 756 crore already in this year.