Hostile conditions prevent mechanised fishing vessels from venturing into sea
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, AUG 1
The prized solar shrimp is available in abundance in the sea, but mechanised vessels operating from the Cutbona fishing jetty could not venture out for fishing on Day One of the new season due to hostile conditions at the mouth of River Sal at Betul and the rough Arabian Sea.
Day One of the new season saw majority of the vessels dropping anchor at the Cutbona Jetty. Only around 10-15 out of the 200-odd mechanised fishing vessels from the Cutbona Jetty venturing out in the Arabian Sea. These purse seine vessels successfully overcame the conditions at the river mouth to venture into the sea this morning. Though these vessels are believed to have netted the much-sought after solar shrimp in tones, they could not return back to the Cutbona Jetty with the prized catch due to navigational problems at the river mouth.
Information revealed that 2-3 vessels are believed to have netted the solar shrimp around 3-4 tons each, indicating the presence of the shrimp in the sea. A kilogram of solar shrimp was priced at Rs 85 at the Cutbona fishing jetty, informed sources in the know.
Vice-President of the Cutbona Boat Owners Union, Roosevelt Alemao said most of the fishing vessels could not take advantage of the situation, primarily due to the rough conditions at the river mouth and the delay in the arrival of the manpower.
“The situation at the River Sal mouth is indeed rough, making navigation a big problem. Every year, the boat owners face this problem and this can be overcome only by government intervention by building a harbour a la Malpei”, he added.
Indeed, small boat owners said that it may take a week or so before they could hope of venturing out in the sea to catch the prized shrimp.
Apart from the perennial conditions at the river mouth, the boat owners this year are faced by the delay in the arrival of the workforce from Jharkhand, Orissa and Karnataka. No doubt, the migrant labour from these States are making their presence felt at the fishing jetty, but boat owners said that nearly 30-50 per cent of the total workforce is yet to return back to the State this season.
