Kovalam Vizhinjam Traditional Fishing Thiruvananthapuram Kerala

The fishing villages of Kovalam, Vizhinjam, and Mulloor on the Thiruvananthapuram coast practice traditional deep-sea fishing using country boats (vallam) and mechanised ring-net fishing for sardine, mackerel, and tuna. The Vizhjinjam harbour is Kerala oldest and most active natural harbour for deep-sea fishing. Cooperative fishing societies in Kovalam manage ice plants, auction platforms, and collective marketing of fish. Kattumaram (catamaran) fishing, the oldest method, continues in the area. Coir nets made from Kerala coconut fibre are still used by some traditional boats. The community struggles with encroachment from tourism development and the Vizhinjam International Transshipment Port project.