Mangaluru: While traditional boat fishing was expected to begin on Sunday, many fishermen are not venturing into the sea owing to storm waves.Ashwath, president of Karavali Mula Meenugarara Sanghatane and a nadadoni operator, told TOI that they were supposed to venture out to fish on Sunday. Still, the storm waves forced them to cancel their plans. In the past few days, a few fishermen who ventured out from Hosabettu and other docks had no catch or only very less catch, he said.Speaking about the changing weather pattern, he said that fishermen would normally have resumed fishing by this time of the year. “In previous years, the monsoon storms would have passed by now, allowing us to venture into the sea. But this year, it looks unlikely that we will be able to resume fishing for at least another 15 days,” he said.According to weather app data, the stormy conditions are likely to persist for another 15 days, making it difficult for fishermen to venture into the sea before July 15. Ashwath said fishing activity is expected to remain minimal in July due to the prolonged rough weather. He noted that July is usually a profitable month for traditional fishermen, as fish prices remain high owing to limited supply, with only traditional boats operating during this period.“From Aug onwards, purse seine boats and deep-sea fishing vessels resume operations, increasing the supply of fish and bringing down prices. This year, however, the prolonged stormy conditions are expected to significantly affect the earnings of traditional fishermen, particularly those who have taken loans and depend on the July fishing season to repay them.”On Sunday, the sea remained very rough, with waves reaching heights of 5–6ft. Over the next two to three days, wave heights are expected to increase to around 8ft as the swell builds over the central Arabian Sea, west of Mangaluru. “We have carried out fishing in waves up to 7ft despite the risks, but beyond 8ft it becomes very dangerous, with chances of boats sinking,” he said.Two groups of fishermen reportedly ventured into the sea on Sunday but returned due to rough waves and a lack of catch. Traditional boats in Mangaluru operate up to 5.4–6.5 nautical miles (around 10–12km) towards the west, extending south till Manjeshwara and north till Padubidri or Kaup.
