Fishermen of Karaikal and nearby villages have reported bountiful catch of mathi’ fish. Consignments of the fish are being despatched to Kerala in plenty of trucks. Hectic activity at the fishing harbour here has been reported from noon till 4 p.m. when scores of fibre boats all filled with the fish, reach the harbour. No sooner the fishermen reach the harbour than a number of labourers deposit volumes of ice on the catch ensuring its preservation. Soon the catch is packed and loaded on to trucks. Fishermen say that abundant availability of mathi fish has come as a boon to them this season. Normally, the fish is available for six months from March to August but the peak period coincides with June and July. The availability of this fish in and around Karaikal prompts wholesale dealers in Kerala to vie with one another in purchasing it. According to N. Mathi, one of the fishermen, they set out to sea at 4 a.m. in fibre boats with nets ideal for catching the fish. We ascertain the weight of the net and wait for about six hours till the entire boat is filled with the catch, he said. R. Ramesh of Karaikalmedu said the strong currents in the Bay of Bengal force the fish to drift towards the Karaikal coast which facilitated the fishermen get bountiful catch. The fishermen said that the price of fish was fluctuating depending on arrivals. Last week, when the catch was less, the price per tonne ranged anywhere between Rs. 1.25 lakh and Rs. 1.40 lakh. Today the price has been reduced to Rs.60,000 and Rs.70,000, they told The Hindu at the harbour here on Tuesday. Officials of the Fisheries Department said that the ban on fishing in Kerala was one of the major reasons for the assured market for the fish. Further, Kerala accounted for a large number of consumers of this fish. Being a low-priced fish, the mathi’ variety was sought by a large number of people in Kerala.
2016, The Hindu