PHOTOS: The precarious life of fisherfolk

In Chennai’s Kasimedu harbor, hundreds of workers depend on early-morning auctions that start at 4 a.m. Pavadairayan, 60, known as one of the “basket men,” spends each shift from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. carrying fish baskets—about 35 pounds each—roughly a third of a mile from boats to the auction house. He makes the trip 40 or 50 times daily along slippery, salt-wet pathways. Workers’ pay is about $5 a day, and they face penalties if fish go missing. The article also recounts smuggler Nandu Kumar’s story, tragedy in his family, and the ongoing hardship of life around the crowded harbor.