Fish gets dearer in Goa as mechanised trawling banned

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Panaji, Jun 25: Fish prices in Goa have risen following a ban on mechanised fishing activities till July 31.

The fishing ban imposed by the Goa government has nailed all the activities on seven jetties spread across the state’s inland waterways triggering price rise. Since monsoon is a breeding season for fish, no mechanised trawler is allowed to venture in the sea.

“The traditional fishing with the non mechanised boats contributes for hardly 25% while mechanised boats have 75% of the fishing share,” officials from state fisheries department said.

Goa, a major exporter of seafood to US, Japan and European countries, currently is relying on the eastern coast Tamil Nadu, Orissa and West Bengal for its supply. But this fish is pricey, most of the time, unaffordable to the commoners’ pockets.

The market rates of the fish have doubled and pieces of five mackerels have gone upto Rs 90 to Rs 100 from Rs 50.

“The fish prices have almost doubled. Even before fishing ban, due to fish scarcity, the prices were high and now they are sky rocketing,” Sitakant Parab, chairman, Mandovi Fishermen Marketing co-operative society, told PTI. The fish price hike has also percolated down to the fish curry rice plates. The hotels and restaurants in the state have increased their fish curry rice rates to almost double.

“It’s not just double. The special varieties of fishes which are in demand are hiked by almost 400%,” P Salgaoncar, a bar and restaurant owner, said.