Fisherfolk of Canacona distressed due to bad weather

Canacona: Many fishing boats, including large trawlers and small mechanised vessels, have remained anchored at jetties along the coastal belt of Canacona and on the beaches of Palolem, Patnem-Colomb, Agonda, Talpona and Polem over the last 10 days due to rough seas and heavy rain.President of the Akhil Goa Kshatriya Samaj, Rudresh Namshikar, said the fisherfolk have suffered huge losses as bad weather has made it impossible for them to venture into the sea. As a consequence, the scarcity of seafood in markets has led to an increase in prices, leaving the common man in the lurch.“Situations like these cause great economic losses to fisherfolk whose livelihood depends on the sea. Some of them are unable to pay their bank loans now, while others have complained that their nets and other fishing equipment have sustained damage due to strong currents and sand drifts,” Namshikar said.Gajanan Pagi of Patnem-Colomb, who is among the distressed fisherfolk, said torrential rain and gusty winds over the last few days have disrupted normal life in the coastal areas of the taluka.Shack owners are feeling the pinch too as they have been unable to meet customers’ needs due to the paucity of seafood. “There is no fish available in the local markets,” a shack owner said.Due to the shortage of seafood, residents of Loliem, Poinguinim, Chiplem and even Chaudi made their way to fish markets 10-15km away at Majali, Karwar, in neighbouring Karnataka, only to find that Majali too has been staring at a shortage of fresh fish due to the inclement weather conditions along the coast.