MARGAO: The new fishing season kicks off from Friday morning after a 61 day ban, but mechanised boat owners keep their fingers crossed as they sounded apprehensive that the rough weather conditions may play spoil sport on day one.
A visit to the Cutbona fishing jetty revealed that the hustle and bustle has returned at the jetty after the 61-day break in operations. Barring 5-10 per cent, majority of the migrant labourers hailing from the states of Odisha and Jharkhand have reported at the fishing jetty.
While the fishing vessels were bracing up to start the new season with a bang, the boat owners were indeed keeping their fingers crossed as strong gusty winds hit the coast on Thursday.
Spokesman of the Cutbona Boat Owners Union Elvis Gomes told Herald that though the new season begins on Friday, the vessels would venture out in the sea depending on the weather conditions.
“The strong and gusty winds have triggered huge waves in the sea. We are indeed keeping our fingers crossed whether the prevailing conditions will permit the vessels to move out tomorrow”, Elvis said.
Unlike their counterparts in Vasco or Malim, Boat owners from Cutbona are literally at the mercy of weather, especially at the mouth of river Sal at Betul. In fact, the hostile navigational conditions at the river mouth comes in the way of the fishing vessels from venturing out at the beginning of the season for want of a permanent solution to the problem of siltation at the river mouth.
On the question of manpower, Elvis said that most of the migrant workforce has already reported at the jetty, barring some 5-10 per cent.”We expect the remaining workers to report at the jetty in the next 2-3 days”, he added.
Meanwhile, the boat owners held negotiations with the wholesale fish agents to decide on the price of solar shrimp and other variety of fish. While the wholesale fish agents had purchased a kilogram of solar shrimp for Rs 170, sources said they have now offered a wholesale rate below Rs 150, which is not acceptable to the boat owners.
