PANAJI/COLVA: With the slackening of rain activity in the last few days, mechanized fishing trawlers are gearing up to venture into the sea from the first day after the 61-day monsoon ban ends on Tuesday night.Labourers were seen preoccupied at various jetties in the state to launch the fishing season, as the monsoon witnessed its first prolonged lull in activity.“The rainfall activity will be weak during the next two days, but there may be a slight increase subsequently,” said M L Sahu, director, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Panaji The Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services has forecast high waves in the range of 3 to 3.2m from 5.30pm on Monday to 11.30pm on August 1 along Goa’s coast from Vasco to Vengurla in Maharashtra and has advised fishermen to be cautious while venturing into the sea.On Monday, Cutbona, one of Goa’s busiest jetties, wore a business-as-usual look with labourers seen loading nets on to trawlers. Special prayers were offered ahead of the new fishing season even as 50% of the workforce is yet to return from their hometown.The industry is highly dependent on migrants labourers and once the ban sets in, these workers start working in fields and usually come back only after harvesting their crops.A large number of the boats are expected to venture into the sea to specially catch solar shrimps, which have surfaced in huge numbers and traditional fishermen in Vasco, Velsao, Cansaulim Benaulim and Canacona are harvesting them in tonnes for the past four-five days.A trawler owner at Cutbona said if the solar catch is good, they can cover almost 50% cost of the entire season. Another said the sea has become calmer now which will help them.Joint secretary of the boat owners society,Vinay Tari, said that since the monsoon has been good, he is hopeful a good catch of solar prawns.”

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