Fishermen leaders have welcomed the extension of the fishing ban period from 45 days to 61 days but have sought the government to strictly enforce the ban by restraining country boat fishermen, having boats, fitted with more than 10 HP motors from fishing during the period. We have no objection in extending the ban till June 14 but the ban on fishing will be meaningful only if the government banned all types of fishing activities, said P. Sesu Raja, leader of a mechanised fishermen association said. When Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar convened a meeting in Chennai on April 18 to discuss the issue, leaders of most of the coastal districts had agreed for 60-day ban but those from Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur opposed it stating that they had already lost fishing days during Vardha cyclone and in the aftermath of the oil spill. While agreeing for extending the ban period, the fisher leaders firmly told the officials that the ban would yield the desired result only if country boats, fitted with more than 10 HP motors were also banned but the government has failed to act on them. Country boat fishermen have started using nylon nets, which were detrimental to the growth of marine resources, fishermen leaders said. The near-shore trawling by small and traditional fishers also affected the conservation of fisheries, they contended. They have also started using exclusive nets for fishing crab and other species, making the ban, meaningless, they said. While extending the ban period, the government could consider enhancing the financial assistance of Rs. 5000 given for the 45-day ban, they said. They requested the Sate government to provide financial assistance for repairing boats on the lines of Puducherry government, which gave Rs. 20,000 per boat for repairing during the ban period. The government could also augment the marine resources by resorting to sea ranching of shrimps and other select species, they suggested.