The state cabinet on Wednesday decided to enforce a 52-day trawling ban in Kerala starting from June 10. Approximately 3,600 mechanised fishing boats, 600 gillnet boats, and 75 purse seine boats will halt fishing operations and return to the shore by midnight on June 9. Since 1988, the state has been implementing a ban on trawling during the monsoon season as an effort to replenish marine resources. The trawl ban will be lifted on July 31. However, motorized fishing vessels operated by traditional fishermen will be allowed to continue fishing activities during the ban period.
Mechanised fishing boat operators have been advocating for a complete ban on marine fishing during the monsoon season, claiming that outboard engine boats operated by traditional fishermen have been disrupting the breeding patterns of the fish species. “While other states have imposed a complete ban on fishing activities, Kerala permits traditional fishermen to continue fishing during the ban period. In 2020, the annual landing of oil sardines plummeted to a mere 3,297 tonnes, but the catch increased to 1.10 lakh tonnes in 2022. The marine ecosystem has improved as fishing activities were completely prohibited during the lockdown and restricted in 2021. This indicates the necessity of a complete fishing ban during the monsoon,” Joseph Xavier Kalapurackal, the General Secretary of the All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association said. The association has submitted a petition to Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, who has agreed to consider the demand for a complete fishing ban. “He mentioned that the trawl ban will continue this year, and the government will conduct a study to evaluate the feasibility of a complete fishing ban from next year,” he added.
SURGE IN LANDINGS
Kerala fish landings in 2022: 6.87 lakh tonnes
Fish landings in 2021:
5.55 lakh tonnes
Increase: 24%
Oil Sardine landings
2022: 1.10 lakh tonnes
2021: 3,297 tonnes
Mackerel landings
2022: 1.01 lakh tonnes
2021: 56,030 tonnes