Mangaluru: Rising kerosene prices and the growing cost of operating boats have forced traditional nadadoni fishermen across the Karnataka coast to explore alternative fuels.
Somanath Moger, former secretary of the Nadadoni Fishermen Association of Uttara Kannada, said nearly 30% of traditional nadadoni operators in Bhatkal had converted to petrol engines despite the additional expenditure. Deep-sea nadadoni fishing had declined by nearly 50% as rising kerosene costs made operations difficult, he said. Fishermen who earlier ventured farther into the sea in search of better catches are now limiting trips due to higher fuel costs.
Ashwath, president of the Karavali Mula Meenugarara Sangha, said several nadadoni operators in Dakshina Kannada had already converted their kerosene engines to petrol. He said the price difference had put fishermen in a difficult position: petrol is cheaper, but switching to petrol engines involves additional costs, and running boats on petrol remains a financial burden for operators. Ashwath said the shift and less availability of fish had also restricted boats’ operating range, making longer trips financially unviable. Subsidies or grants on petrol or kerosene would ease the financial burden and help operators continue fishing, he said. Paresh Majalikar, a boat operator, said the shift was taking place as kerosene was no longer readily available to several operators. Karnataka Rajya Nadadoni Meenugarara Sangha secretary Yashvant Gangoli said fishermen would not give up kerosene until the govt ensured viable petrol alternatives. He said the association wanted clarity on three major aspects before kerosene supply is discontinued and fishermen are shifted to alternatives: the subsidy to be provided on petrol, the safety of operating boats on the alternative fuel and the distribution mechanism through which fishermen would receive it. The association had already submitted a memorandum to the govt, he said.
The situation is not confined to Dakshina Kannada. With the occupation increasingly unviable, some fishermen were considering alternative businesses. In Karwar too, fishermen have begun shifting to petrol engines.