With the sea turning rough, sale of fish at Shanghumughom has almost come to a naught. As fishermen in the area are unable to venture out into the sea, womenfolk engaged in retail vending are forced to buy fish at high prices from Vizhinjam and Pettah. There has been a heavy dip in the availability of fish for the past 10 days, they say. There is hardly any money to meet our daily needs. Sometimes we earn zero profit even after an entire week of sales, says Bridget, a fish vendor on the popular beach. Many of them have taken loans. We are not left with any option other than borrowing money, she adds. The shortage in availability has pushed fish prices up. In spite of a rise in price, tuna and mackerel still dominate the market. The price of Threadfin bream (Killi meen) has shot up to Rs.30 per piece. The demand for seer fish has come down with a single fish costing around Rs.200. With fish prices rising, crab and mussels have become a favourite. Women on the shore sell fish drenched in rain. With a torn umbrella over her head, Elizabeth, another fish vendor, has finished her sales by 11 a.m. itself. In spite of repeated demands, the government has turned a deaf ear to our needs. All that we get even during trawl ban is 3 kg of rice and 1 kg oil. After staying in relief camps set up at schools and homes of relatives for almost three years, she has shifted to a house built for her by the government. With schools set to reopen in June, they are worried about buying uniforms and books for their children. Many are the sole breadwinners of their families. Men are least bothered about running the family and spend whatever they earn at toddy shops, says Florence. They now place hopes on the new government for an economic and social uplift.
2016, The Hindu