MARGAO
Even as fish-loving Goemkars may wonder that King Fish is not available in plenty this season so far, there’s virtually a glut of the Goan mackerel in the market.
Mackerel has turned out the major catch of the mechanised boat owners as well as by the traditional fishermen over the last few days, so much so that fish has found its way to the fish meal plants for want of ice and demand.
Boat owners pointed out that since mackerel was netted in abundance over the last few days, the price of the fish has come down drastically. Some of the boat owners have been left with no option but to send the excess fish to the fish meal plants at a lesser price.
Boat owner Savio D’Silva, however, pointed out that the prized King Fish has so far eluded the fishermen this current season. “Mechanised boat owners used to normally net tonnes of the King Fish this time of the year, but not this season,” he said.
Traditional fishermen along the Salcete coast pointed out that the small country boats have netted tonnes of medium size mackerel over the last few days. They, however, said the price of mackerel has fallen due to a bumper harvest. “On Sunday, we sold a basket of medium size mackerel in the range of Rs 250-300 since there was a bumper catch when we ought to have got a better rate,” he lamented.
The shortage of ice, which is required to store the excess fish, has also come to haunt the fishermen, leaving them no option but to sell the fish at reduced rates.
Says Colva-based fisherman Domingo Rodrigues: “Ice from the factories is being purchased by the fishing vessels, leaving the local fishermen with not much ice. In this situation, we have to either sell the catch at reduced rates or send the catch fish meal plants at dirty cheap rates,” he said.
Domingo also echoed the sentiments expressed by the boat owners, saying the prized King Fish, which was normally netted at this time of the season, has eluded the fishermen so far.
