The squid fishing boats normally run in the open season from Thadingyut (late October) to the Thingyan Festival (mid-April).
With the Thadingyut Festival approaching, the squid fishing boat operators are gearing up for the resumption of the businesses in the sea, squid fishing businesspersons said.
The squid fishing boats normally run in the open season from Thadingyut (late October) to the Thingyan Festival (mid-April).
“Usually, the squid fishing season happens between the Thadingyut and Thingyan festivals. Some businesses operate until May. The fishers calculate the dark moon cycles to catch squid. Some boats even leave for the sea. The squid fishing suspends in monsoon season and resumes in open season,” highlighted a squid fishing boat operator.
There are about 300 registered squid fishing trawlers and 5,00 squid boats in Myeik District, Taninthayi Region, according to Myeik District Squid Fishing Entrepreneurs Association.
“We still cannot evaluate the market. The diesel price declines yet the price has not returned to normal rate. The cost of running a squid boat is pretty high. The squid fetches K250,000 per 10-viss tray. We cannot predict the market price yet”, said a squid boat owner.
The close season for fishing in the Myanmar Sea is set between April and June. Therefore, squid fishing trawlers also stopped operation. The Fisheries Department, however, eased the rules on five coastal areas, according to a notification dated 2 May 2023. Thus, squid fishing boats in some regions and states were given the green light to restart the fishing in May. — Myint Oo/EM
