El Niño and Overfishing Anchor 80% of Dakshina Kannada's Fishing Fleet

Dakshina Kannada is currently facing a severe fishing crisis, with approximately 80% of its 1,500 fishing boats, including purse seine boats and trawlers, anchored due to a significant decline in fish catch. The fishing season, which began optimistically, has seen a sharp downturn, leaving many fishermen unable to recover their investments and struggling with loan repayments. Dilip Kumar, deputy director of the fisheries department, attributes this downturn to the El Niño effect and changing sea temperatures, leading to the migration of fish shoals. Overfishing is also suspected to have exacerbated the situation, marking the third consecutive year of poor yields.

Fisheries department data reveals a troubling trend: August 2024-25 recorded a catch of 45,050 metric tonnes, slightly higher than the previous year's 44,024 metric tonnes. However, subsequent months saw sharp declines, with September yielding 33,761 metric tonnes (down from 45,014), October 28,875 metric tonnes (down from 38,500), November 19,042 metric tonnes (down from 25,389), and December plummeting to 6,059 metric tonnes compared to 18,646 the previous year. The total catch for 2023-24 stood at 2,39,758 metric tonnes. With the monsoon approaching, a mandatory 75-day fishing ban is anticipated to commence until August 15, a period crucial for fish breeding due to nutrient influx. The state government has raised concerns in various forums and has appealed to the Union government for a uniform fishing ban across coastal states to promote sustainable practices.