Fishing activities on AP coast decline, fishermen blame high diesel price

Visakhapatnam: Even before the annual deep sea fishing ban, the fishing activities along the AP coast declined. This is due to the spiraling price of diesel and low prices for catch. Over 70 per cent of the mechanised fishing boats in the state remain anchored at the fishing harbours.The rising price of diesel has led to docking of fishing boats. As they can’t go deeper into the sea without stocking enough fuel, fishermen are getting 40 to 50 per cent less catch than before. This has made some of the varieties of fish dearer by 30 per cent. Some fishing boats are returning with prawn whose price is not very attractive. Meanwhile, a few boats are returning with low quantity of fish.Speaking to TOI, general secretary of Dolphin Boat Operators’ Welfare Association, Satyanarayana Surada, said fish trade is in troubled waters as a majority of the boat owners are incurring losses. The seafood exporters are paying 450 per kg of brown prawn which is untenable. They say exports to other countries have declined. Exporters are focused more on Vannamei shrimp farmed in India which has demand in other states and abroad. We will get some profit only if we get 500 or above per kg of brown, white and flower prawn varieties, he said.“The price of subsidised diesel was 92 per liter. To get a good catch, we need to be at sea for 14 to 21 days. But, most of the mechanised boat owners are not in a position to spend much (2 to 3 lakh) on diesel. Most of them are incurring losses due to high diesel price and low price for shrimp. We are urging the government to provide us diesel at a cheaper rate (75/liter),” Surada added. The net cost has increased by 10 to 15 per cent, making such trips unfeasible for us, said M Das, a boat owner.