Fishermen hit hard as catch plummets at Puthiyangadi

Fishermen operating out of the Puthiyangadi fish landing centre, one of the premier fishing hubs in Kerala's Kannur district, are facing a severe livelihood crisis due to a drastic decline in catch. Local operators report that popular staple varieties, particularly sardines and mackerel, have become increasingly scarce this month, pushing the local coastal economy into deep distress.

Despite around 30 boats venturing out into the Arabian Sea every day, boat owners reveal they are struggling to even recover their basic operational expenses. The fuel costs, maintenance, and labour wages often outweigh the meagre returns from their daily haul, leaving the community in financial ruin.

Local fishing communities point to a combination of climate change and destructive human activities as the primary drivers behind the rapid depletion of fish stocks. Unscientific and illegal fishing practices, particularly the use of double nets in deep-sea trawling, have severely impacted marine breeding grounds. These destructive nets scoop up juvenile fish, leaving little room for populations to regenerate.

There is also widespread resentment among local fishers regarding violations of the annual monsoon trawling ban. Many allege that boats from neighbouring states, including Tamil Nadu, actively fished in these waters during the prohibited period, directly causing the current depletion. This has had a cascading effect on the local workforce. The sector supports over 3,000 migrant workers from other states at Puthiyangadi, but with catches remaining dismally low, many are now preparing to pack their bags and return to their home states. Although a small haul of sardines brought minor relief to some fishermen recently, the overall outlook remains bleak, raising serious concerns about the future of the region's traditional fishing industry.