Fisherfolk rue lack of facilities for export of large catch of much sought after fish

Despite abundant resources, beingness of a large sportfishing harbour, and the largest food landing centre successful A.P., the fisherfolk, operating from Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour, are acold from happy. The deficiency of acold storages, processing and selling facilities are coming successful the mode of their reaping the benefits.

With a capableness to accommodate 2,208 sportfishing vessels, including 675 mechanised boats, 1,303 motorised boats and 230 accepted crafts, Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour, is 1 of the large sportfishing harbours successful India and the largest landing centre successful A.P.

“We are getting precise bully drawback of tuna. The US tariff hike and deficiency of facilities for retention has deed our earnings. We entreaty to the authorities to supply worth summation grooming to fishers and creating consciousness among consumers connected the benefits of tuna to beforehand depletion successful the section market,” says Arjilli Dasu, enforcement manager of an NGO — Fishing Community Organisation Network (FISHCON), Visakhapatnam.

The landing accusation information collected by Fisheries Scientist astatine the Fishery Survey of India (FSI), Visakhapatnam Zonal Base, GVA Prasad has revealed the beingness of abundant stocks of tuna and allied food resources wrong 40 to 60 nautical miles disconnected Visakhapatnam coast.

Yellowfin tuna commands prices betwixt ₹800 and ₹1,000, a kg, successful Japan, portion successful India the terms ranges betwixt ₹130 and ₹180. Large tunas tin measurement betwixt 80 kg and 110 kg, portion the mean value is astir 30 kg.

“Brokers are buying the drawback from the fishermen and sending the stocks by insulated vans to Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, wherever determination are amended processing and selling facilities, isolated from greater consciousness among the section radical connected the nutritional benefits of tuna. There are astir 120 mechanised boats, operating from the Fishing Harbour, and astir 40 boats from Peda Jalaripeta, which beryllium connected tuna fishing,” says Pola Rao, a fisherman of Peda Jalaripeta successful the city.

“Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour connected an mean receives astir 150 tonnes of tuna each day, followed by Kakinada Harbour with astir 100 tonnes a day. The Fish Landing Centre astatine Pudimadaka and the Machilipatnam Harbour besides person important stocks,” Mr. Prasad, who had collected the data, told The Hindu.

“Based connected our studies, we merchandise ‘Resource Information Series’ booklets isolated from conducting consciousness meetings and workshops connected handling, preservation and modern sportfishing techniques successful the fisher villages to amended the fishermen connected the availability of resources,” says Mercantile Marine Engineer of the FSI-Visakhapatnam C. Dhanunjaya Rao.