No catch, no savings: Vizhinjam fishers struggle through what was once their busiest season

ANYONE visiting Vizhinjam during the trawling ban season would once see bustling activity — fish vendors calling out prices, baskets brimming with fresh catch, and buyers crowding the harbour. But this year, the scene is starkly different.

- JOSE K JOSEPH @ T'Puram

ANYONE visiting Vizhinjam during the trawling ban season would once see bustling activity — fish vendors calling out prices, baskets brimming with fresh catch, and buyers crowding the harbour. But this year, the scene is starkly different. Many stalls lie empty, and vendors sit idle, waiting for fish that never came. The 52-day trawling ban, which began on June 9, has typically been a crucial period for fishers in Vizhinjam to earn more, save money, and clear debts, as their coastal waters lie outside the ban zone. But this year, that seasonal advantage has vanished.