More than a month after Cyclone Ockhi damaged many boats and fishing gear including nets, the mechanised as well as tuna boats engaged in deep sea fishing have still not decided on taking to the sea. They are yet to recover from the trauma of their survival and death of their kin and friends. Countryboat and fibre boat fishermen too are yet to recover from the shock as 35 of their mates are feared dead having failed to return from their November 30 journey. However, they have started fishing close to the shore or within 15 to 20 nautical miles so that they can return in two to three hours. “Usually fishermen don’t go fishing from Christmas eve till a couple of days after New Year. We expect more people will go fishing from Tuesday,” a senior fisheries official said. On the other hand, assessment of damage cause by the cyclone to hundreds of boats and their gear is in full swing. He said that teams to take stock of the damage caused to boats, nets and other gear started work about three weeks ago. “But they could not get details from fishermen or see their boats as they were in an agitated mood and denied entry for our officials. In the last few days we have been able to carry out the assessment in those villages. On Saturday more teams were formed to step up assessment,” he added. Fisheries department sources said that five teams from the department had headed to Kerala to assess the damage caused to the boats and gear of fishermen from Kanyakumari who used to regularly go fishing from harbours in Kerala. “We will compile details of the damage and submit it to the state government this week,” he said. The district administration has fixed January 5 as the deadline for fishermen to obtain and submit filled-in forms on damages cause to their boats and gear.