Kasimedu sees slow start as fishing ban ends; prices soar

Chennai: With the fishing ban ending at midnight on Saturday, around 500 boats set out from Kasimedu fishing harbour. However, the usually bustling market remained subdued on Sunday, with a limited catch and sparse crowds.The initial return brought in only a few varieties — seer fish, black pomfret, red snapper, grouper, white snapper, blue crab, and prawns — causing a steep hike in retail prices. Seer fish, for instance, sold at 1,900 per kg, up from 1,200; black pomfret price touched 1,100 (up from 800), and blue crab rate reached 750, compared to 550 earlier.B Muthukumaran, secretary of Deep-Sea Fishing Boat Owners' Association, said landings will become steady over the next few days. "Boats that operate on 24-hour cycles returned by Sunday afternoon. Others that fish for longer will return by Tuesday. Only after that will the market stabilise," he said, estimating a two-week window for prices to normalise.Trader Anbu said that the full range of fish varieties — and price correction — will only come about once all boats resume operations. During the Tamil Nadu fishing ban, Kasimedu relied on stocks from Kerala. But with Kerala's ban in effect since June 1, even those supplies have dwindled and now arrive at higher rates.Though fishing has officially resumed, traders say normalcy in price and supply will take time. Until then, Kasimedu is likely to see subdued activity and limited footfall.