Fall in sardines catch causes Rs 150 cr loss in Kerala The News Minute dated 8th July 2016

CMFRI also analysed the reasons behind the sharp decline in the sardine catch in recent years. Kerala's fisheries sector has suffered a loss of Rs 150 crore in 2015 due to sharp fall in the availability of oil sardines, according to a study. The study report prepared by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) said the sardine famine last year resulted in 28.2 per cent losses in employment in the sector and 45.8 per cent in wage share. The CMFRI submitted the report to state Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma today at a consultative meeting of the research and academic institutes in fisheries sector held at the institute here. "Average price increase for the sardine consumers in the state was 60 per cent, with the per kg prices going up from Rs 26 to Rs 65. The consequence of the famine had multi-fold and disastrous effect on the fisher folk," the report said. CMFRI also analysed the reasons behind the sharp decline in the sardine catch in recent years