Inclement weather hits fishing activities

By G Saravanan
Published on December 17,2009:

CHENNAI: The persisting bad weather and intermittent heavy downpours have largely affected fishing activities along the Chennai-Kancheepuram- Tiruvallur coast.

Poor weather conditions resulted in the sinking of a mechanised fishing boat, off the Ennore and Palaverkadu stretch, that had set out from the Kasimedu fishing harbour with an eight-member crew. The crew was rescued.

While traditional fishermen avoid venturing into the sea, mechanised fishing trawlers were also kept inside the harbour fearing gusty wind over sea for the fourth consecutive day.

Speaking to Express, M E Raghupathy, president of the Chennai - Tiruvallur - Kancheepuram District Mechanised Boat Fishermen Association, said, “Since the Met department advised us against going into the sea, the boats are now anchored inside the fishing harbour.” About 300 mechanised boats that had already ventured into sea from Kasimedu about a week ago have been asked to take shelter along the Andhra Pradesh coastline, he said.

He said the weather conditions looked to improve soon and therefore, the boats anchored at the Kasimedu harbour would set off for fishing in the next 48 hours.

Though the catch has been greatly reduced due to the abatement in fishing, prices of fish have not registered any sharp increase as consumption is down owing to the Margazhi season.

City back to normalcy after heavy downpour

With the onslaught of torrential rains lessening into just a drizzle on Wednesday, the city limped back to normalcy.

Though water-logging and falling of avenue trees were reported from several parts of the city, the Chennai Corporation acted swiftly and cleared stagnant waters using high powered motors.