After deep sea trawlers, purse seine boat fishing and bull trawls, it is Light Emitting Diode (LED) light fishing that is threatening the fishing industry and marine ecology. It is estimated that about 20,000 fishermen families depend on small-scale fishing or traditional fishing in Uttara Kannada. Introduction of bull trawls two years ago in Uttara Kannada district by fishermen of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts led to violent clashes between the fishermen of the coastal districts. Under pressure from local fishermen, the UK district administration banned bull trawl fishing. The introduction of this LED light fishing technique has created an uproar among fishermen with many fearing that it could soon lead to a fish famine. In this method a small boat is mounted with 8 LED bulbs, each with 1000 mega hertz capacity. A generator with 20,000 mega hertz capacity which costs around Rs 3.5 lakh is used to illuminate these bulbs at night. The fish get attracted to the light and hover around the boat. At the same time, Another boat spreads a balloon-shape net around the first boat thus catching all the hovering fish. Though illegal in Uttara Kannada, at least 80 boats use the LED fishing technique using such boats. Neighbouring Goa has banned such fishing on its territories. Custom and Coast Guard officials seize such boats in that state and impose a heavy penalty. But officials in Uttara Kannada have ignored such complaints of the local fishermen. “No action has been taken against any LED light boat owner till date. If it continues, a few years from now the sea will be depleted of all fish,” said Umakant Harikantra, a fishermen leader from Karwar. M L Dodmani, deputy director of fisheries department, said that LED light fishing is going on in the district for the past one month. “After a complaint, I visited Bhatkal and found such fishing boats. But the fishermen using this technique argue that such activity is allowed in Dakshina Kannada. So it is not proper to ban it in Uttara Kannada. If we have to ban it, then we have to ban such activity in both districts,” he added.
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