2½ months after end of fishing ban, prices still high

NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Two and half months after lifting of ban on fishing, fish continues to be out of reach of the common man as prices have not eased despite hundreds of trawlers venturing into the high seas everyday.
Fish from other states is meeting most of the demand, said fish wholesaler Christalina Fernandes, adding, “Now people are fed up of eating mackerels and crave for a variety of fish including kingfish. In Goa very rarely do we get kingfish and most of the stock is from Malpem in Karnataka and Chennai.”
She further said, “Even most of the prawns which we sell are brought from Chennai while fishes like Tamoso, Sheveto (mullet) and ladyfish are fished in the state. Mackerels, sardines and milkfish are fished by trawlers from Goan waters.”
Another wholesale fish seller and retailer in city market on conditions of anonymity said, “We still rely on fish from neighbouring states without which markets will run out of fish and will not be able to meet demand of fish eaters and hoteliers as their numbers have increased manifold.”
He said that many fish eaters are frustrated as they usually wait patiently for monsoon ban to be lifted and then relish a variety of fish at a much cheaper rate adding, “But this time many trawler owners are also complaining of no fish in the deep waters.”
For the past three days, mackerels and kingfish from outside the state have arrived in the city market. While kingfish is being sold at much lower rates, butterfish, mackerels and milkfish are sold at quite high rates.
On Friday morning, 5-6 big size mackerels were sold for Rs 200 while in the evening prices slightly came down and 6-7 mackerels were sold for Rs 200 while prices of prawns have come down from Rs 400-350 and Rs 300 depending upon the size.
Tamoso (red snippets), silver snippets were sold for Rs 400 a kg and Shevte (mullets) were sold Rs 200 a kg and a portion of sardines was sold for Rs 50 and a plate of pomfret (white) was sold for Rs 350-400 depending upon the size.
Black pomfrets were sold for Rs 350-400 a kg depending upon the size and freshness. Medium sized 6-7 mackerels were sold for Rs 100 and a portion of baby mackerels were sold for Rs 100 a plate. Thorn fish was sold for Rs 100-150.
Some vendors claimed that trawler owners also stock up fish like mackerel, prawns and sardines using ice when prices go down and bring the catch into the market when the prices go up or export it and fetch a good price.