Gilbert Raju, an angler fisherman from Valiyathura depends solely on the now-collapsed Valiyathura Pier for fishing during the monsoon trawling ban period.
| Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN
Under the overcast monsoon skies over the Valiyathura beach, in Thiruvananthapuram, the morning bustle is slightly subdued at the fish market. Hawkers are perched under colourful umbrellas, selling the limited catch, carelessly placed on soiled slabs of ice – a few metres away from the fishing boats docked at the shore.Away from the hubbub, gazing out to the sea, towards a dilapidated historic Valiyathura Pier, is 42-year-old fisherman Gilbert Raju. Orally challenged by birth, he is one among the few pier anglers in the area, catching the prey using a polymer line either cast from the shore or from an elevated structure. Amidst the ongoing 52-day trawling ban, artisanal fishers from Valiyathura, such as Mr. Raju, might appear to be at an advantage over big boat owners.
Gilbert Raju searching for mole crabs to use as fishing bait. The Valiyathura Pier is seen in the backdrop.
| Photo Credit:
