Fishworkers to seek 90-day trawling ban
By Sabloo Thomas18 May 2011 06:12:40 AM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The traditional fishworkers of the state wouldurge the new government to implement a 90-day trawling ban instead of the 45-day ban to facilitate natural breeding of the common pelagicfish 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 newgovernment after the portfolio allocation is complete. The 45-day annual trawling ban on mechanised boats during the monsoon season isslated to begin on June 14 midnight. While the trawling ban is restricted to just 45 days in Kerala, inother 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 fromthe ban in the state. In other states, the ban covers the entirefishing sector including traditional country boats. The monsoon trawling ban was introduced in 1988 to help unhinderedbreeding of fish during the rainy season. The monsoon season isbreeding season of nearly 300 species along the west coast of India. The traditional fishworkers in Kerala have been exempted from thetrawling ban through the Kerala Monsoon Fishery (Pelagic) ProtectionBill 2007. The Act enables them to catch pelagic fish such as oilsardine 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 bantrawling by mechanised boats as well as fishing by country craft usingengines of more than 9.9 HP during monsoon. The trawling ban was started in Kerala in 1988 on a recommendation bythe Dr A Balakrishnan Nair committee..
By Sabloo Thomas18 May 2011 06:12:40 AM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The traditional fishworkers of the state wouldurge the new government to implement a 90-day trawling ban instead of the 45-day ban to facilitate natural breeding of the common pelagicfish 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 newgovernment after the portfolio allocation is complete. The 45-day annual trawling ban on mechanised boats during the monsoon season isslated to begin on June 14 midnight. While the trawling ban is restricted to just 45 days in Kerala, inother 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 fromthe ban in the state. In other states, the ban covers the entirefishing sector including traditional country boats. The monsoon trawling ban was introduced in 1988 to help unhinderedbreeding of fish during the rainy season. The monsoon season isbreeding season of nearly 300 species along the west coast of India. The traditional fishworkers in Kerala have been exempted from thetrawling ban through the Kerala Monsoon Fishery (Pelagic) ProtectionBill 2007. The Act enables them to catch pelagic fish such as oilsardine 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 bantrawling by mechanised boats as well as fishing by country craft usingengines of more than 9.9 HP during monsoon. The trawling ban was started in Kerala in 1988 on a recommendation bythe Dr A Balakrishnan Nair committee..
Courtesy: T. Peter
