Sunday Witnesses Mad Rush for Sea Catch at Vizag Fishing Harbour

Around 200 single-day mechanised boats, which sail in the morning and return in the evening, have brought in around 25 tonnes of shrimps and fish of different varieties, said Fisheries assistant director K. Lakshmana Rao.

“A basket of mid-size shrimps weighing around nine kg, which had been sold at ₹1,400 during the period when fishing had been banned, sold for just ₹800,” said Usha Prakash, a housewife from RK Beach. She, along with her friends, had visited the fishing harbour on Sunday morning and picked up a good quantity of shrimps and fish to last for a week.

“We had been eating chicken and pond fish during the last two months. We have got fed up. We have come to the harbour for buying something fresh,” said Teddu Shankar and his friends.

Teddu Shankar, himself a fisherman, said this is just the beginning of the season. Fish and shrimps will get cheaper and cheaper towards winter.

Talking to this correspondent, the Fisheries assistant director said deep-sea vessels, which sailed after June 14 midnight in accordance with the ban, will be returning after June 25. These will bring more catch of different varieties.

Lakshmana Rao said on an average, each boat brings about 100 to 150 kg of shrimp and fish. The total catch that comes to the fishing harbour is around 25 tonnes.

He pointed out that rates of fish are reasonable, though on Sundays, prices go up by 10 per cent, as more consumers flock to the fishing harbour.

Trade sources said around 30 per cent of the catch is exported to other cities and some is converted into dry fish.

“Soon, we will have a modernised fishing harbour. More people will be coming here to buy fish,” said Ramulu, who sells fishing hooks and nets.