[Reader-list] Fishworkers to seek 90-day trawling ban

[T Peter]

Fishworkers to seek 90-day trawling ban

By Sabloo Thomas
18 May 2011 06:12:40 AM IST

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The traditional fishworkers of the state would
urge the new government to implement a 90-day trawling ban instead of
the 45-day ban to facilitate natural breeding of the common pelagic
fish in the Kerala waters during monsoon season.
Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF) president T
Peter told Express that this demand would be placed before the new
government after the portfolio allocation is complete.  The 45-day
annual trawling ban on mechanised boats during the monsoon season is
slated to begin on June 14 midnight.
While the trawling ban is restricted to just 45 days in Kerala, in
other coastal states it is for two months.
Peter said that the presence of foreign fishing vessels on the
territorial waters of the state even after the 45-day ban period,
caused much problems. These vessels caused great harm to young fish.
There were no effective laws to control foreign fishing vessels
operating on the state’s coastline, he said.
The traditional fishing sector using country boats are exempted from
the ban in the state. In other states, the ban covers the entire
fishing sector including traditional country boats.
 The monsoon trawling ban was introduced in 1988 to help unhindered
breeding of fish during the rainy season. The monsoon season is
breeding season of nearly 300 species along the west coast of India.
The traditional fishworkers in Kerala have been exempted from the
trawling ban through the Kerala Monsoon Fishery (Pelagic) Protection
Bill 2007. The Act enables them to catch pelagic fish such as oil
sardine and mackerel in the territorial waters of the state stretching
12 nautical miles. However, they are permitted to carry out fishing
only in the territorial waters and catch only pelagic fish.
 The law was enacted to overcome the restrictions imposed by the
Supreme Court which wanted governments of coastal states to ban
trawling by mechanised boats as well as fishing by country craft using
engines of more than 9.9 HP during monsoon.
The trawling ban was started in Kerala in 1988 on a recommendation by
the Dr A Balakrishnan Nair committee..


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