After a hiatus of over 61 days, the market at the Kasimedu Fishing harbour sprang back to life early Sunday morning and sold around 600 tonnes of fish.

The auctioning of wholesale fish began by 2 a.m. and the retail sales started at 5 a.m., attracting a lot of eager buyers.

The annual fishing ban had come to a close on the midnight of June 15, and boats that set out on four- to five-day trips returned on Saturday night and Sunday morning.

“A section of the boats had been returning daily since Tuesday, after fishing for a few hours. They brought back around 250 to 400 tonnes of fish every day. Of the total 800 mechanised boats that dock at the harbour, 50 are under repair, 600 have been going for fishing, and 120 returned with fish on the first Sunday,” a source in the Fisheries Department said.

The boats brought back fish such as mullets, vaala meen, octopus, anchovies, small-sized paarai, and shrimp.

“Prices were quite nominal. They were neither very high nor very low, making both fishermen and buyers happy,” a trader said.

Fish from Kasimedu is taken in baskets by women to sell at local markets in the city.

Fishermen proudly showed off large-sized grouper fish, also called Kalavaan, and sharks caught in their nets.

“Earlier, such sharks, Thirukkai, and Koala would not beconsumed like fish. They would rather be cut into pieces and salted (made into uppu kandam) and sent to Sri Lanka. Now people have started consuming these varieties too,” fishing community leader M.D. Dayalan said.