Migrant workers dominate fisheries sector

Young people are shifting to alternative livelihoods, drawn by better earnings and conditions elsewhere

- HD Bureau

More than half of the labour force in Kerala's marine fisheries sector now consists of workers from other states, with a comprehensive study by the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute revealing that 58% of roles—from harvest to market tasks—are filled by migrants. At Munambam harbour in Ernakulam district, the proportion rises dramatically to 78% among mechanised fishing crews, underlining a striking demographic shift in the sector. These figures emerged during a stakeholder workshop in Kochi, led by Dr Shyam S Salim, the principal investigator of the study.