KOCHI: Fish like sardines are leaving the Kerala coast as the sea is warming up. They are moving to cooler areas. The main reason is climate changes. Sardines feed on zooplankton, shrimp larvae, fish eggs, algae, and decaying plant debris. The size of the sardines has also decreased as their availability has decreased. There is no demand for such small sardines in Kerala. Due to this, they are being taken to chicken feed and fish feed factories in Tamil Nadu at a paltry price.

Inboard boats do not go to sea to catch undersized sardines. It costs more than Rs 30,000 to get a boat into the sea once. Boatmen are on the stand that they are not ready not bear the loss as there is no demand. The price has fallen to Rs 100 per one and a half kilo in shops.

3,99,786 tonnes of sardines were received in 2012, but in 2021, only 3,297 tonnes were received. Sardines showed a comeback in 2022 (1,01,000 tonnes) and 2023 (1,38,000). The total fish availability in Kerala in 2014 was 5.76 lakh tonnes. It decreased by 16 percent to 4.82 lakh tonnes in 2015.

Total Fish Production - Sardine Production

(Year, Total Fish Production, Sardine (in Tons)

2012.............8,39,185..................3,99,786

2013.............6,71,361..................2,46,841

2014.............5,75,644.................1,55,287

2015.............4,82,499.................68,431

2016.............5,22,550.................48,958

2017.............5,84,686..................1,26 ,988

2018.............6,42,580.................77,098

2019.............5,43,836.................44,320

2020.............3,60,807.................43,154

2021.............Not available..........3,297

2022.............Not available..........1,01,000

2023.............Not available..........1,38,000

"It should be studied how the sardine availability has come to such a low. We have approached the Chief Minister requesting the state government to intervene."

- Charles George, State President, Fishermen's Union

"CMFRI has appointed a committee to study the decrease in the size of the sardines, including whether they have reached full growth. We will give an official explanation after that."

- Grinson George, Director, CMFRI