Incessant rain in Kerala has not only hampered economic activities in the southern State, but the fishing industry in Gujarat has also been affected adversely. At least 2,000 fishing trawlers belonging to ports in Saurashtra region have been stranded in various ports of Maharashtra and Goa due to the bad weather conditions.
leader of fishermen community in western Gujarat coast Ritesh Fofandi said that nearly 2,000 fishing boats with thousands of fishermen ventured in deep sea from August 15 from Veraval and other ports of Saurashtra region, but due to heavy rains in Kerala Sea became rough and the fishermen on board were forced to anchor their vessels at the nearest ports in the states of Maharashtra and Goa.
According to Fofandi after many years very heavy current was seen in the sea which also caused breaking of fishing nets in many trawlers. He further said that diesel and grocery stock in many vessels have exhausted.
It is worth mentioning that in the beginning of the new fishing season, fishermen would come back without any catch which would amount to loss of crores of rupees not only to the fishermen on board but also for the allied industries including ice plants, transporters, cold storage owners and exporters.