Thoothukudi, Aug. 8 -- Local fishermen along the port and coastal areas of Thoothukudi are facing a severe livelihood crisis as strong seasonal winds drive massive quantities of seaweed ashore, disrupting routine fishing operations.

Over the past few days, intensifying wind speeds have triggered a heavy influx of marine flora washing into coastal waters. Instead of fish, fishermen heading out to sea are finding their nets packed entirely with dense layers of seaweed, making it difficult for the fishermen to haul them back out of the water. As a result, the catching of seaweed in fishermen's nets leads to a drastic drop in their daily catch and income.

Furthermore, fishermen report that the excessive weight of the trapped seaweed exerts ...