Malpe’s ghost fleet: Hundreds of trawlers idle as weather chaos shuts down deep-sea fishing

Udupi, Oct 28: The deep-sea fishing season along the Karnataka coast has been dealt a crippling blow, as persistent heavy rainfall and the impact of recent cyclonic activity have forced the entire fleet to return and anchor. Malpe harbour, a bustling hub, is now eerily still, with hundreds of trawlers moored not only at the port but also crowding the backwaters near Baputota.

Fishermen are reporting significant losses and growing distress, lamenting that unpredictable and severe weather conditions have plagued the season almost from its start. Repeated cyclonic warnings and sudden changes in the Arabian Sea have made deep-sea ventures hazardous, if not impossible.

The industry’s woes began just as the trawling restrictions were lifted. Strong winds and heavy rain repeatedly forced boats to remain docked. After only a few operational days in August, intermittent cyclones disrupted activity throughout September. Now, the renewed spell of heavy rain and powerful winds this month has brought the deep-sea fishing operations to a complete standstill.

Compared to previous years, the current season is proving disastrous. While a fortunate few initially netted decent quantities of prawns and sardines, the majority have been unlucky. "Even though fish are available in the sea, the conditions are making it impossible to go out and catch them," a fisherman stated. The community is lamenting the loss of the peak season months. "Usually, August, September, and October are the best months for fishing, but this year, due to adverse weather, activities have remained far below expectations," another added.

Narayan Karkera, President of the Malpe Fishermen’s Association, highlighted the dual challenges facing the sector. “At the beginning of the season, many boats could not go out due to a shortage of workers. Though workers from other states have now returned, the cyclone has again made fishing impossible.” He further noted that even for the boats that did manage to venture out, catches of high-value fish like mackerel have been disappointingly low, leading to a stark disparity in hauls. The severity of the weather has even forced some Malpe boats to seek refuge as far as Karwar port. “For the last four to five days, due to the cyclone, boats have returned to shore. So far, this year’s fishing season has not been satisfactory,” Karkera concluded.