KOCHI: “Now it is time for some rest,” says Mani, tying up his fishing net in a neat bundle. It has been 28 years since Mani first saw the Arabian Sea. He hails from Colachel in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. After two decades of fishing in Kerala, Mani now has most of his family members here. But today is different. It is time for the annual resting period for the fishermen here.The govt’s 47-day trawling ban will come into force on Tuesday midnight and it will be time for the fishermen to head back home.At the fishing harbour in Vypeen, the men are hard at work. While some have already started packing up, others are yet to come back after their season’s final catch. Most of the fishermen who own trawlers hail from Tamil Nadu. Since they seldom bring their women and children here, this is also the time for an annual family reunion. While most remain unemployed, some take up temporary jobs. The fishermen from TN are not the only ones who suffer during this period. Many of the local fisherwomen are a worried lot too. They are involved in preserving the fish after cutting and drying them. With the ban in force, there will be a steep decline in the availability of fish which would in turn affect their wages.
Comments
0 comment