Sarat Kumar Rout
Fishermen living on the coast of Paradip have a way of sensing imminent dangers by reading the frothing pattern of sea waves, shifting of sands and movement of fish before they venture into sea for fishing. By judging the colour of sea waters, they can predict where they can have a good catch. Their predictions have often proved true.
“We take the sea as our parents as most part of our lives is spent by catching fish. The battle for our lives and livelihood is confined to the sea. We are accustomed to all kinds of delicate marine activities and know well how to deal with approaching disasters,” said K Suba Rao, one of the fishermen, living on the coast of Paradip.
Fishermen can sense what kind of a storm or a disaster is going to happen by keenly observing the movement of fish, frothing pattern of waves and shifting of sand and pattern of tossing of waves on the shoreline, Rao added.
Giving an example, Rao said if waves toss the shoreline as usual there will be no storm or bad weather condition in the next two days. If waves encroach upon the shoreline and sand surface gets dented upon walking on the shoreline, we can precisely sense an approaching natural disaster. Accordingly, we decide on our fishing activities.”
Though Rao and people of his ilk have little knowledge of weather science, their predictions about behaviour of the sea have proved more precise than the weathermen’s.
Besides, on seeing the sea waters, these fishermen can predict locations in the sea where fish will be aplenty. By dealing with the sea on a daily basis and watching its changing behaviour, fishermen have developed natural instincts of predicting a change in weather condition and approaching storms.
Their life is full of hazards once they venture into the sea. Some fishermen recalled a horrible disaster that took place October 10, 2010.
Seven fishermen had ventured into the sea in a mechnised boat from Paradip fishing jetty. They were fishing about 20 km into the sea from Erasama coast. All of a sudden, they were caught in a danger. The boat they were in developed a technical snag and overturned. All the fishermen were swept away. Hours later, a fishing trawler rescued four of them, but three others were untraced. They were afloat in the deep sea with the help of a wooden plank of the ill-fated boat.
Over 30 boats mounted a search operation to trace the three for as many days, but failed to trace them. Their families were in deep mourning and had lost all hopes of survival.
However, fate had other plans for them. About six days later, an Australian ship rescued them October 19 at Kalinaha, about 300 km from international waters. The three fishermen were Mainipili Krishna, Mainipili Rambabu and K. Satyanarayan.
They narrated their harrowing survival in the sea for six days. “To keep us alive, we have to feed on even raw fish. Most of the time we quench our thirst by leaving open our mouths for raindrops. We were completely bare as all our clothes were washed away by the sea. In six days, we had hardly batted our eyelids for a few seconds. We held us together by clutching each other’s hands on the wooden plank. If one of us had to doze off for a few seconds, others had to keep awake despite severe exhaustion from lack of food and water.
We had also employed various tricks to stave off attacks from big fishes several times as we floated. By the time the ship rescued us, the condition of two was critical. We were unable to speak or signal. In the evening, M Krishna had spotted an approaching ship and beckoned it by waving hands. Luckily, the captain of the ship could see us and its crew saved us. The crew bathed us in warm waters and gave us clothes to wear. We felt a little relieved and rejuvenated. The ship anchored at Kandla port and we returned home.”
Elderly fisherman TV Ramana pointed out that Telugu fishermen had so many life-threatening disasters and adventures in the sea. He asserts proudly that they can swim or keep themselves afloat in the sea for three days together.
“We are not scared of sea, but what scares us is undercurrents at the outfall area. Swimming there is not possible. One may be swept by undercurrents,” he said.
As for catching fish, fishermen know where to drag and cast nets to catch fish in the sea. Hilsa fish is not found in deep sea, they are found in sweet waters in the outfall area.
This fish species move fast when they are to lay eggs. They usually move back into the sea in queues after laying eggs. At that time, fishermen have to follow the currents of sweet water and know how to cast nets to catch them in large numbers, the senior fisherman said.
He also stated that they employ varied methods and techniques to catch different kinds of fish in the sea.
He added that they are deeply worried about testing of weapons in Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. The sea becomes violent and stormy after testing of weapons and leaves adverse impact on fish. In coming days, there will be great disaster in two seas. “A day will come when all marine fauna will vanish due to man-made disasters in the seas,” Suba Rao said.
