The coastal waters of Kutch, rich in high-value export-quality fish, attract fishermen from across Gujarat. Currently, due to heightened security measures along the India-Pakistan maritime border, a strict ban on fishing has been imposed.
As a result, fishermen from other districts who had come to fish near the three major fishing harbors of Kutch—Jakhau, Lakhpat, and Narayan Sarovar—are unable to return home. A total of 724 boats from various districts of the state are now stranded at these Kutch ports, causing the fishing season to be unproductive for many.
During the summer, fish tend to surface to take in oxygen, making the waters off the Kutch coast particularly rich in high-value fish suitable for export. Fishermen from districts such as Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Valsad, and Navsari travel to Jakhau port for this reason.
However, due to Operation Sindoor, fishing activities in the maritime areas of Jakhau, Lakhpat, and Narayan Sarovar have been restricted, leaving fishermen from other regions unable to return, and their boats stranded at the ports.
When questioned, an official from the Assistant Fisheries Office in Bhuj stated that a government gazette dated May 7 had announced a ban on fishing activities in the maritime zones of the above three centers until further orders. Of the 15 fishing ports in Kutch, only these three are currently under restriction.
Fishermen are required to obtain an online token through a mobile application before heading to sea, which is generated from Gandhinagar. Without this token, if any boat enters the restricted waters of these three ports, the marine police are authorised to seize the boat.
Consequently, fishing boats remain docked. Currently, Jakhau hosts 680 stranded boats (198 local and 482 from other districts), and Narayan Sarovar has 44, totaling 724 boats. There are no registered boats at Lakhpat.
Recently, all ports in Gujarat were closed due to cyclonic weather conditions and reopened after three days. However, due to the proximity of these ports to the Pakistan border and ongoing Operation Sindoor, the restrictions remain in place since May 7.
Additionally, the annual fishing ban will begin on June 1, effectively ending the fishing season. Under these circumstances, many fishermen are facing a failed season. Fishermen’s cooperatives have made representations to the district and state-level authorities requesting fishing tokens, stating that the fishing ban has created serious unemployment concerns.