2032 boats from Talasari, Dahanu, Palghar and Vasai talukas of Palghar district are ready for fishing again from August 1. Most of them have been given boat fishing licenses by the Department of Fisheries. The sailors have arrived to board the fishing boats and the decoration of the boats is in the final stage.

Fishing is prohibited from June 1 to July 31 as per the instructions received from the Fisheries Department. After this ban of 60 days, fishing will resume from August 1. For this, more and more fishermen have obtained fishing licenses for fishing boats by submitting the necessary boat registration certificate, boat insurance, seamen’s identity cards to the Fisheries Department. The information was given by the Assistant Commissioner Fisheries Office at Palghar that the fishing boats at Satpati, Murba, Edwan, Mahim in Palghar taluk, Dahanu in Dahanu taluk, Dhakti Dahanu, Zai in Talasari taluk and Arnala in Vasai taluk have obtained necessary permits and licenses.

During the fishing ban, maintenance and repair of the boat engine, painting of the boat is done. Also, during this period, the nets were repaired and new nets were purchased from the fishermen and the boats were decorated with attractive colors, flags and flags. After worshiping the fishing boats, these boats will leave for fishing in the sea from the morning of August 1, the fishermen said.
For the past few years, the fishing season started late due to cyclones and adverse weather conditions at the beginning of the fishing season. But this year, the environment is favorable for fishing and the fishermen community is praying that the fishermen will benefit from such a good environment in the future. Fishermen said that the ice factories required for fishing have been functioning since last week and the preparations for the departure of the boats from Sunday are in the final stage.

Fishermen are fed up with price hike
Among the fishing boats in the district, there are 475 in Dahanu taluk, 467 in Satpati Murbe area, 212 in Edwan area and 878 boats in Vasai. According to the new order directed by the government, the state government has clarified that 111 boats in the district with a capacity of more than 120 horse power will not get fuel subsidy. Most of these boats are from Arnala and Vasai ports. Fuel, engine oil, fishing nets, HDPE ropes, buoys, etc. materials required for fishing boats have become expensive over the past few years. Due to this inflation as well as the lack of income from fish during the last few seasons, fishermen have become desperate.