Karwar: The unrelenting rains and heavy winds for the past two days have affected fishing activities in the district. Hundreds of fishing boats are moored at the Baitakol port even after the monsoon fishing ban has been lifted.
The heavy South-West Monsoon winds are generating waves 10 to 15 feet high and posing a danger to the smaller fishing boats. Hence, the fishermen have avoided venturing out on fishing.
After the completion of the two-month fishing ban during the spawning period, the mechanised boats were seen going out to the open waters from August 1. The early abundant catch raised hopes of windfall gains among the fishermen. However, the inclement weather has temporarily put a spanner in the works.
A leader of the local fishermen Vinayaka Harikantra said the fishermen are in a dilemma whether to let go of the outstation counterparts. In the unavailability of the local labourers, the boats increasingly use men from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh here. “Boat owners need to bear at least Rs 5,000 for the food, wages and rent for this every day. As labour is hard to find the owners can’t let them go,” he said.
