Industry sources said workers from West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam, where Assembly elections are scheduled, are employed in large numbers across the fishing sector and its supporting activities.

Apart from going to sea on fishing boats, migrant workers are also engaged in related work such as net weaving, boat building, repair units, ice plants, and fish loading and unloading.

While workers from Tamil Nadu and Kerala are more involved in going out on boats, labourers from West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand and Odisha are employed in other support sections in significant numbers.

A major issue currently affecting these workers is the shortage of commercial gas cylinders.

Commercial LPG cylinders are usually carried on purse seine and trawl boats for cooking during deep-sea fishing trips. However, due to supply disruption over the past few days, many workers are reportedly unwilling to go for fishing trips.

Fishing leader Mohan Bengre said that another major reason is the upcoming elections in several states, especially Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and West Bengal.

He said many workers had left for their native places nearly a month in advance to cast their votes, resulting in around 50 per cent of boats remaining anchored at the shore.

At present, the district has around 1,400 trawl boats and 160 purse seine boats, but only about half of them are currently operating, he said.

Partial impact on industries and hotels

Sources said the issue has also partially affected industrial units and the hotel sector in the city, where a considerable number of migrant workers are employed.

Some workers have returned to their hometowns due to the gas shortage, while others have left to participate in voting.

This has created challenges in maintaining smooth industrial production and hotel operations, the sources added.

Industrialist Ajith Kamath from Baikampady said several workers who had gone home for Holi and Ramzan celebrations are yet to return and are likely to come back only after casting their votes.