Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 11: Rising price of diesel has been placing burden on the vehicle owners. Now, it also has hit the fishing industry, which is the main commercial activity in the coastal districts.

Owners of fishing boats say that because of regular increase of diesel cost, they have been taking a decision to abandon fishing and return to their bases. It is said that already 60 percent boats have come back to the Bunder here where they are anchored.

Cyclones had played havoc with the fishing in 2019 while coronavirus robbed their chances. Now, the fishermen were hoping to replenish the losses but rising price of diesel has been working as stumbling block in realizing their dreams.

Representational image

Normally boats undertake fishing for eight to ten days in the deep sea at a stretch. They can hope to make some profit only if they have fish costing not less than seven lac rupees. But now the average fish catches is four to five lac rupees and as such, because of diesel cost hike, they are facing loss of two to three lac rupees for every trip, money earned is not even enough to pay salaries to workers, says a boat owner.

Boat owners point out that diesel subsidy is given only up to 9,000 litres and for the remaining diesel, they have to pay full cost. The demand for fish has fallen and fish stored in cold storage is also not getting sold. Therefore, the fishing industry is facing huge losses, the boat owners say. At the same time fishing workers from Tamil Nadu and Telangana have returned to their homes to celebrate New Year,  Christmas and Pongal. There is shortage of workers too, fishermen leaders stated.