ONGC survey, dip in oil prices buoy trawler operators' biz

The operators of fishing trawlers have reasons to cheer up. Drop in oil prices, good catch of Tuna fish and the Krishna-Godavari basin survey by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation have all buoyed up the mood of the trawler operators, who have for long been bogged down with a number of problems.

Most of the trawler operators had turned away from the sea due to abnormal rise in oil prices as 80 per cent of the operating cost involved expenditure on oil.

"Trawlers operators did not go fishing from July to September. About four months back at mid-sea bunkering, the oil prices touched Rs 34,000 per kilolitre. This has now come down to about Rs 25,500 per kilolitre," S K Aggarwal, managing director, Sagarika Sea Crafts Limited, and fuel supplier at mid-sea, told Business Standard.

Another reason for the trawler operators to be cheerful is Tuna fishing. As part of diversified fishing activity, about six big trawlers turned to Tuna fishing and the catch started from October onwards.

"During October, six vessels jointly operated and fetched about Rs 90 lakh worth of Tuna fish of which about 70 per cent was Sashimi grade, priced at $7 per kg," T M Chodary, president, Association of Indian Fishery Industries, said. This month too Tuna fishing vessel operators hope to repeat the bumper harvest, he added.

The survey work in the K-G basin being undertaken by ONGC too is filling up the pockets of trawler operators.

"Currently, 18 big and eight small trawlers are engaged in the ONGC survey works. While the big vessels get about Rs 60,000 per day, small vessels take home about Rs 12,000 per day," Chodary said.