Premier varieties of shrimps are being harvested in the Bay of Bengal off Visakhapatnam in huge quantities but buyers are scarce.
The catch is landing in Andhra Pradesh’s largest fish landing facility at the fishing harbour here. After the 61-day annual fish catch ban, the fishing harbour is now in full swing. Around 600 mechanised boats are venturing into the sea and catching fish in the Bay.
The mechanized boats are bringing in a bumper catch. Boat owner Narasing Rao says, “This year we have a good catch. We are especially getting the export quality ‘brown prawns’. But only four exporters are buying this now though we have 23 exporters here. Because of this situation we are selling one kg brown prawns at Rs 370. Last year we sold this at Rs 450.”
The fishing community is facing an unusual season. Lots of brown prawns, Asian tiger shrimps, three-spot crabs and some blue crabs have arrived. “There are hardly any buyers and prices have dropped. Exporters are saying Vannamei Shrimp is inflicted with some disease and hence its exports have reduced. But there is a government rule that says one’s export volume must have 25 per cent sea- harvested shrimps but exporters are going for cultured shrimps. State and central governments are not taking note of this,” says a worker at an export firm here.
Each boat is returning with some 600kg to a tonne of brown prawns, selling at a low of around Rs 370 per kg in the market. The Vizag harbour has 700 mechanised boats of which 600 go for fish catch.