After the lockdown due to the new coronavirus, about 10,000 Catholic fishermen from Utan (Maharashtra, India) went fishing. They are members of the Church of Our Lady of the Seas (a parish in the archdiocese of Mumbai), which has 18,000 followers.

Deacon Godfrey Malu (Godfrey Malu) was postponed to be ordained as a priest due to the pandemic, and he was sent to the local parish. On "World Fishery Day", he shared with AsiaNews about his health emergency and the devastating impact on fishermen.

The annual fishing season started on August 1, but was delayed by two weeks due to the pandemic. On August 15th, on the Assumption Day and National Independence Day, I blessed nearly 50 ships.

In times of crisis, going to sea is unprofitable. Our fishermen only sell their catch in low-priced local markets because they have no means of transport to take them to larger centers. With a low income, it is difficult for them to support their families.

However, the fishermen had a great faith in God, and this faith was strengthened in each case. At the beginning of the season, two ships had problems at sea. One ship sank, killing two fishermen. The other 11 were rescued by another ship: unfortunately, I don’t think they received any compensation from the government.

Another ship was hit by a storm; all crew (15 to 20 people) were rescued by a rescue helicopter. The fishing boat drifted for 5-6 days without assistance from the authorities. The local fishermen plucked up the courage to go to sea and successfully dragged it back to land: just like the metaphor of a dead sheep! Their spirit of saving lives has been praised by the villagers.

Mumbai is the financial capital of India and one of the oldest fishing communities: the home of Koli. Fishing is a way of life and a way of earning a living. This is their blood, which makes them proud of their contribution to social development. Their ancestors passed on this profession: their soul is in the ocean.

The fishing community is very vulnerable to different weather conditions, especially storms and monsoon rains. Another "storm" in the form of a virus has made existing problems more complicated. Local fishermen said that the impact of Covid-19 and the nationwide lockdown is more severe than seasonal cyclones because they effectively stopped their activities.

Fishermen follow the government's instructions to stay at home when needed, but the authorities must now consider their needs. During the first week of the blockade, they had to throw 10,000 tons of unsold fresh fish outside the ship. In these months, fishing is the most important: this is the fishing season, from the season of catching, sorting, drying and storing fish species until the rainy season. The problem is that the local fishery does not have fish refrigeration, storage and transportation systems.

Unlike farmers and other disadvantaged groups in society, Utan fishermen are not eligible for government support programs. The authorities should take action to reduce the impact of the disaster. The local family was reduced to a state of existence. Under the current circumstances, they have no income. They think that young people in this place may no longer follow in their father's footsteps and seek other careers.