In pictures: Fisher folk struggling for their daily bread

The ongoing pandemic lockdown is taking a huge toll on the daily wage workers and those engaged in informal jobs to ensure decent income to support their families these days.

Fisher folk and fisheries workers are one such segment of the society severely impacted due to travel restrictions, as they find it difficult to access the markets through fish supplying networks from which fish vendors used to take the fish to inland areas.

Long gone are the days people waited for the horn or the bell sound of fish vendors in front of their residences to buy fish. Those who reside near coastal areas visit the fisheries harbours and purchase fish from the fishermen directly at a reasonable price without middlemen being involved.

Fishermen are complaining that they are forced to sell their catch at lower prices due to the lack of marketing facilities available. Another concern raised by some fishermen is that this would attract more crowds to fisheries harbours posing a risk of potential virus spread. But they say, they don’t have a choice either, as they also have families to support and are forced to take the risk.

(Pix & Text By M. A. Pushapkumara)