Karnataka ‘scuttled’ by Tamil Nadu love for cuttlefish

Mangalore: Fishermen from Tamil Nadu are arriving in droves in Karnataka waters in search of cuttlefish found along the state’s coast and are using banned methods of fishing to net a huge catch and make some quick money, claim fishermen of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, who want the state government to put an end to the practice at once.

Officials of the fisheries department too reveal that about 200 boats of Tamil Nadu fishermen are currently fishing along the state’s coast. “They come here for cuttlefish which is found in our sea in abundance and fetches them good money when exported. Arriving in August, they continue fishing till December. Though there is no ban on catching cuttlefish, the method they follow is wrong,” say officers.

The Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly place parts of the casuarina or coconut tree in the nets as their smell draws fish. “The cuttlefish are attracted by the smell in large number and begin to live around the habitat created by the trees. The fishermen mark the spot using GPS and return 15 days later and draw the net in with a huge number of fish. This kind of fishing continues despite the government banning it,”says an officer.

Livid with the Tamil Nadu fishermen poaching on their catch, the state’s fishermen are demanding Karnataka intervene immediately to stop them from fishing in its waters.