After the Indian government announced lockdown from March 25th, 2020, trouble brewed for the fishermen community in India. The deep-sea fishermen, who came back in different intervals, unaware of the lockdown did not know what to do with the fish stock. The local markets, interstate transport movement and exports were shut. Many migrant fishermen from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh were stranded in the state of Gujarat during this lockdown. However, the boat owner communities and the local people are ensuring they are taken care of. The fisher community groups across different states have been taking active measures to reach out to central government and state fisheries for compensation and to help them ease down during this lockdown.

Compensation mechanisms for fishermen are the need of the moment, as small scale fishermen who are dependent on their coasts for their daily livelihood are now left without work.

After the central government gave a green signal for transport vehicles to ply within India, fishermen have been able to transport fishes. As fishermen and allied fisheries face struggle during the COVID 19 times, solutions and proactive measures from government and experts need to be done at the earliest to prevent losses.

To highlight the concerns of fisherman and allied fisheries face, independent journalists Sharada Balasubramanian and Jency Samuel report for The Suno India Show.