Traditional Fishermen In Udupi Net 5 Tonne Of Fish In Rare Bumper Haul

'Kai-rampani' fishermen or traditional shore seine fishermen at Hejamady in Udupi were surprised to find that they could not pull their nets back onto the shore on Wednesday evening. The technique of fishing, which is indigenous and labour intensive, has fallen out of favour in recent times in the coastal region of Karnataka but on Wednesday, these traditional fishermen could not believe their luck. "There was a huge crowd which gathered in Hejamady because the fishermen had chanced upon a haul of fish that was so large, they could not reel it in," explains Yathish Baikampady, a fisherman in the area.

'Kai-rampani' fishing is a labour-intensive operation involving over 30 fishermen pulling nets from the shore with their hands while a boat with its crew encircle the fishes at sea with nets. The haul of fish caught by the traditional fishermen on Wednesday coincides with 'Palke Booruni', a day which marks the end of the turbulent monsoon season and the resumption of fishing in the seas. "The quantity of fish that was caught by the fishermen was so large that it could not be stored. Whenever this happens, the fishermen call all the residents of the village to the shore and tell them to take the fish to prepare food at home," says Yathish.

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