Boats return with bumper catch after 61-day fishing ban ends in TN

IANS June 18, 2025 438 views

Fishermen in Tamil Nadu are celebrating a successful return to the sea after the 61-day seasonal ban. Boats in Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari hauled in tonnes of premium fish, sparking high demand from traders. While profits are up, fishermen urge the government to reduce diesel costs to sustain operations. The annual ban helps protect marine breeding, ensuring long-term fish stocks.

"Each boat incurs a daily expense of around Rs 2.15 lakh on diesel, ice, and labour. Fortunately, the average catch was worth about Rs 3 lakh." – R.J. Bosco, Thoothukudi Mechanised Boat Owners Association
Chennai, June 18: After a 61-day seasonal fishing ban, over 200 mechanised boats set out to sea from the Thoothukudi fishing harbour in Tamil Nadu and returned with a substantial fish haul, bringing cheer to both fishermen and traders.

Key Points

1

Boats returned with premium fish like seela at Rs 900/kg

2

Traders from Tamil Nadu and Kerala drove high demand

3

Fishermen seek diesel price cuts to ease costs

4

Kanyakumari boats also reported Rs 5 crore worth of catch

The boats, which departed around 5 a.m. on Tuesday, docked back by 9 p.m., carrying tonnes of fish, including sala, uli, paarai, seela, kanava, anthili, and ailai.

The harbour witnessed a high influx of fish for the second consecutive day, leading to brisk trading activity and strong demand from buyers across Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The prices reflected the demand: a basket of sala fetched Rs 2,000, vilai sold for Rs 4,500 - Rs 6,000, anthili for Rs 4,500, paarai for Rs 6,000, and uli for Rs 7,500 - Rs 10,000.

Premium varieties like seela were sold at Rs 900 per kilogram. Fish varieties like ponnamparai and ailai averaged Rs 2,500 per basket.

The harbour was bustling with activity as both locals and wholesalers gathered to purchase the fresh catch. Fishermen expressed happiness over the profitable start to the season. However, they appealed to the Central and state governments to reduce diesel prices and taxes to ease the financial burden on boat operators.

R.J. Bosco, secretary of the Thoothukudi Mechanised Boat Owners Association, said the day’s catch was encouraging. “Each boat incurs a daily expense of around Rs 2.15 lakh on diesel, ice, and labour. Fortunately, the average catch was worth about Rs 3 lakh, slightly above the break-even point. A single trawler consumes around 1,200 litres of diesel per fishing trip,” he explained.

Most boats reported good catches of para, ooli, and karal.

Meanwhile, in Kanyakumari, boats also resumed operations following the end of the two-month fishing ban off the district’s coast on Sunday. Several boats that ventured out early Monday returned by Tuesday night with large quantities of fish, including kingfish, pomfret, prawns, and shrimps, with an estimated total value of Rs 5 crore.

Fishing leaders reported that each boat brought back around four tonnes of high-value catch, drawing traders from nearby districts and even neighbouring states. The fishing ban, observed annually in April and May, coincides with the breeding season and aims to protect marine life and sustain long-term fish stocks in the region.

Reader Comments

P
Priya K.
Great news for our fishermen! � The ban seems to have worked well with such a good catch. But Rs 2.15 lakh daily expense is shocking! Government should definitely reduce diesel prices for fishermen - they feed our nation.
A
Arjun S.
As someone from Kerala, we're happy to see fresh fish supply resuming! The prices seem high but understandable after the ban. Hope the fishermen get good profits after their long wait. Our coastal economy depends on this.
M
Meena R.
While I'm happy for the fishermen, I wonder - is 61 days really enough for fish breeding? Marine experts should study if we need to extend the ban period. Short-term gains shouldn't compromise long-term fish stocks.
S
Suresh V.
Rs 900/kg for seela! 😲 Fish prices are becoming like gold rates. Time for middlemen to stop exploiting both fishermen and consumers. Government should create direct farmer-to-consumer markets for fish too.
K
Kavita P.
Heartwarming to see traditional fish varieties like paarai and uli still being caught in good quantities. Our Tamil cuisine depends on these! Hope the younger generation continues these fishing traditions.
R
Rajesh N.
The Rs 5 crore estimate from Kanyakumari shows how important fishing is to our economy. But we need better cold storage facilities to prevent wastage. Government should invest in modernizing fishing infrastructure.

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Tags:
Tamil Nadu fishing ban Thoothukudi fish market mechanized boats seafood trade R.J. Bosco