Hunting octopus with compressors poses livelihood and ecological threat, say fishers

VEMBAR fishers who catch octopus by relying on traditional methods have raised the ante against their counterparts equipped with compressors.

- S GODSON WISELY DASS

Hundreds of fishermen families, who still cast angles sitting on a thermocol float in the coastal waters are left worried by the illegal and dangerous method of hunting octopus underwater using compressors for breathing.

The three types of octopus available in the Gulf of Mannar are O Oddu kanava (cuttlefish), Pei kanava (octopus) and Oosi kanava (squid), say experts.

Fishermen said over 25 thermocol floats or buoys are carried in a vallam (country boat) early in the morning and scattered in the sea by maintaining a 500-metre gap after reaching the fishing spot located 10 to 15 nautical miles off the shore.

The fishermen sit on the float and catch octopus with an angle until 12 pm. In their parlance, the underlying coral reefs, the most suitable place for fishing octopus, is known as 'par'.