Cyclone Arnab: Thoothukudi fishermen stay away from sea due to bad weather

Fishermen dragging the shore net at Thoothukudi New Harbour beach as the inclement weather triggered by cyclone Arnab prevented them from venturing into the sea for fishing on October 27, 2026

Fishermen of this coastal town of Thoothukudi abstained from fishing for the second consecutive day on Tuesday (October 27, 2027) following warning on Cyclone ‘Arnab’.

As the India Meteorological Department had warned that the sea would be rough in the wake of the cyclone in the Bay of Bengal, the boats involved in deep sea fishing have been urged to return to the shore immediately. Fishermen operating the mechanised boats from Thoothukudi Fishing Harbour did not go venture into the sea on Monday. They abstained from fishing for the second day on Tuesday as there was no improvement in the weather.

Only a few fishermen from Terespuram and New Harbour Beach ventured into the sea on country boats in areas closer to the shore and returned with small catch.

Fishermen dragging the shore net with a bountiful catch at Thoothukudi New Harbour beach on October 27, 2026

The New Harbour Beach fishermen tested their fortune with ‘Karai Madi’ (shore net), which is cast in the sea at a distance from the shore from a boat and is retrieved by more than 30 people standing on the shore.

After hours of toiling in dragging the fishnet, the fishermen had to be content with around 350 kg sardines, smaller trevally, and white snapper fishes.

As inclement weather owing to #CycloneArnab has prevented fishermen in #TamilNadu coasts from venturing into the seas for deep sea fishing, the fisherfolk in #Thoothukudi were engaged in drag net fishing at the new harbour beach on Tuesday. 📸&📹: N. Rajesh / The Hindu https://t.co/IpyDd4s2Vy