While the Panaji market seems to be flooded with varieties of fresh fish, citizens may have to wait a while to get their hands on a satiable amount of kingfish, sardines and the like. This is because boats along River Mandovi are still waiting to venture into the deep sea due to a lack of labour. “We have over 300 boats, of which only 10% have gone to sea. We cannot start operations full swing until the labour force is entirely in place,” director of Mandovi Fisheries Cooperative Society, Francisco Fernandes, said. The labourers, most of whom are migrants, usually return to their respective native places during the 61-day fishing ban from June 1 to July 31. While some of them have returned to resume their duties, others are expected to do so in the coming week. A boat owner from the Malim jetty, however, said although crew members are expected to return by next week, fishing activity may get further delayed due to the oncoming festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. “Labourers from Jharkhand will be in Goa by next week but the following week, crew from Karnataka will return to their respective native places for Ganesh festivities. Full-fledged fishing activity will, therefore, be possible only by September,” he said. Yet, things seem slightly better in South Goa as president of the Cutbona Boat Owners Union, Savio D’Silva, confirmed fishing activity would take off next week. “Nearly 40% of the boats registered with us have gone into the sea. The rest will gradually begin as most of the labourers are returning to state. Going by this, fishing activity is expected to take off by mid-August,” he said.