Fish Fish Everywhere but No Fish for Islanders
Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, May 08: Fish prices are making holes in the pockets of common man in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The rates are so high that fishes have virtually vanished from dishes and islanders are looking for other cheap alternatives.
When Andaman Sheekha investigated into the matter it was found that the new business model of some business houses and export companies to export local sea products to mainland India, has resulted in acute shortage in supply, which ultimately resulted in sky rocketing of fish prices in A & N Islands.
According to a rough estimate nearly dozens of such private companies have parachuted into this business and are in a virtual race of purchasing all fish in bulk, directly from fishermen.
Reputed companies are indulged in exporting high value sea products like lobsters, Shark, Tiger prawn and Tuna while those companies who have just entered this business are targeting common fishes, which are actually consumed by common man.
“This has lead to acute shortage in supply of fish in local market, hence common man has to pay heavily even for ordinary fish,” a fish vendor told Andaman Sheekha, who doesn’t want his name to be quoted.
According to data collected from Fisheries Departments there are around 1300 licensed fishing boats and around 3000 to 4000 licensed fishermen are working in A & N Islands but sadly they are unable to catch sufficient quantity fish for islanders. These fishermen are getting huge subsidy and financial support from Administration but in return their catch are being purchased by mainland businessmen through local agents.
“In local market we are presently getting those fish, which are either rejected by export companies are those which have no value in mainland market,” an official of Fisheries Department told Andaman Sheekha today on the condition of anonymity.
When contacted the Director of Fisheries Department, Dr. V. Krishnamurthy said that the Fisheries Department has no direct role to control the fish export business.
“We are not fixing the prices of fish. You are asking this question to a wrong person. I don’t have any control over export trade. What control I have you tell me, what control in the trade I can have?” the Director of Fisheries Department quested this reporter.
Fisheries is fast become a lucrative business in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The export business worth nearly Rs. 50 crore per annum is attracting more and more businessmen to these Islands but sadly the local fishermen are not well trained and do not have sophisticated fishing boats, which is the reason why fish caught for local Islanders are being sold out to exporters. Data shows that A & N Administration earns nearly 25 Lakhs per annum just from royalty and around Rs. 1,20,000 from licensing.
When Andaman Sheekha contacted the Director of Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs the reply was more or less same.
“Fish prices totally depend upon the demand & supply. May be the demand is more or the supply is less. There is no agency to fix prices of fish in Andamans,” Mr. Som Naidu the Director of Department of CS & CA added.
As the Department of Fisheries and Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs remain helpless local residents believe that this is high time for Administration to formulate some policy to restrict the export business till the supply is increased. There is a need to withdraw subsidy for those fishermen who are selling fish in bulk to mainland agencies depriving local people.
