Karwar: It is time for preparing the dry fish in the coastal areas of Uttara Kannada district. The fish dipped in salt and dried under the sun is a favourite food of hundreds of people. But the decline in fish stocks has been affecting the production of dry fish this year.

Dry fish production is mainly seen in Karwar, Belekeri, Majali, Honnavar, Bhatkal and surrounding areas in the district.

As soon as peak summer sets in or the temperature soar, women of the fishermen families dry the fish under the sun to prepare dry fish. They firstly wash the fish caught in the sea using seawater itself and then keep the fish wrapped in salt for two days. This salt-matured fish is then sun-dried for six days. Such dried fish is in great demand during the rainy season when deep sea fishing is prohibited.

However, due to the decline in the fresh fish stock, women of the fishermen families are worried about the amount of dry fish they can prepare this time. Light fishing and bull trawling have affected the fish stock and indirectly the dry fish business also. Neela, who has been preparing dry fish for 40 years in Baithkhol, seemed helpless this time. “How can we prepare dry fish if we do not have enough fish stock,” she questions.

“A few years ago, fishing used to be prohibited in April and May. But now, we see fishing boats off the sea only in June. Fishing is being done indiscriminately without giving time for the fishlings to grow. Our families would get boats full of fish when I was a child. But now, the fishermen do not get so much fish,” she said.

She added that earlier, people from Hubballi and Yellapur used to go to Baithkhol on every Fridays and Saturdays for purchasing dry fish. But, now the situation had changed as they were finding it tough to meet the demands of local customers only and thus, the prices had naturally shot up.

Prices go up

Neela said that around 20 years ago, a basket of 35 kg fresh fish fetched between Rs 5 and Rs 10. But now, the prices sometimes shoot to Rs 5,000 also. They buy this 
fish and prepare dry fish which in turn is sold at Rs 80 to Rs 90 per kg. They spend around Rs one lakh a month to prepare dry fish and at the end, they get a profit of just 
Rs 5,000.

She says that their profit will also increase in case the prices of fresh fish decreases.

Suitable fish

According to Vinayak Harikantra, a local fisherman, fish which are not oily in nature are suitable for drying. So, Tarle fish or Sardines are not suitable for drying. Except 
this, most of the other fish can be sun-dried. This year, Karchi (Manale) variety of fish has been caught after many years.

He added that the number of women involving in fish drying in also coming down year after year.