Even before the world shakes off its slumber to start a new day, every nook and corner of Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour throbs with pulse and rhythm. Lungi-clad men unload baskets of the season’s catch from the mechanised boats anchored in a row. At the centre of the harbour, a few others sort out of the catch into separate sections, depending on the size. A little ahead, loud women auctioneers with baskets of brown prawns and three-spot crabs get ready to strike a deal with buyers.
Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour, the largest fish landing facility in Andhra Pradesh, has sprung back to life after the 61-day annual fishing ban, observed for conservation measures during the breeding season of prawn and other marine species. Around 800 mechanised boats operate from Visakhapatnam coast. The boats, that set out on their first voyage after the ban for a period of three days to two weeks, have returned with a bountiful catch.
