Even as the 61-day fishing ban period is nearing end (August 1), the possibility of commencement of full-fledged fishing activity looks gloomy as the labourers employed for the activity are yet to return to Goa from their native places. Vice-chairman of Mandovi Fisheries Marketing Co-operative Society (MFMCS) Francis D’Souza informed that full-fledged fishing will only begin by mid-August as not even five per cent of the workers have returned. Last year, by now almost all the workers had returned but this year not even five per cent have come back. When we contacted them they said they are engaged in agricultural activities and will take another 10-15 days to return, said D’Souza. The delay in the arrival of the labourers has put the trawler owners to inconvenience as the maintenance work of the anchored trawlers and fishing boats is still pending due to the shortage of labourers. Maintenance work of the trawlers is being carried out at the Malim fishing jetty, Betim. However, there was very less movement of the labourers. When questioned, a trawler owner said, Most of the workers are from Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Jharkhand and as they have not returned the maintenance work of trawlers is pending. The fishing nets have been taken home by some of the trawler owners for mending. They themselves with the help of family members do the mending work. It is learnt that the labourers deliberately return late as they feel safe to venture into the sea only after the monsoon becomes weak. Meanwhile, the directorate of fisheries has directed the North Goa District Collector to open the seal of the gas station and has asked the fuel company to supply diesel at Malim jetty.