By June 14 midnight, Kerala’s coastline will become a no-go zone for trawling boats due to the 47-day trawling ban imposed by the government. The purpose of the yearly ban is to protect fish wealth in the coastal waters as the spawning season of most of the fish varieties coincides with the monsoon season. But, this year’s ban comes more as an annual ritual than as a solution to the long-standing problem of dwindling fish wealth and deterioration of marine ecology. Support for ban All the stakeholders in the fishing committee supports the ban and terms trawling the form of fishing that is the most harmful to marine ecology. While the fisheries sector is staring at a bleak future, it is time to rethink whether such token measures can protect the livelihood of fishers and save marine ecology. History In Kerala, trawling ban was first imposed in 1988, after repeated demands from the traditional fishing community. The arrival of big players in 1970s and 1980s, lured by the export prospects of various fish varieties, increased the quantum of fish catch. But, gradually, the graph went downwards over the years, prompting the government to impose trawling ban – more as a measure to help traditional fishers than out of ecological concerns. In the initial few years, the ban brought an improvement in fish landing. Study An Expert Committee set up by the Ministry of Fisheries in 2013 (Saira Banu-Sunil Muhammed Committee) found that by 1997, the 25-year trawling ban ceased to have any positive effect on the fish wealth. Since 1997, the fish yield has been declining, with the net decline being above one lakh tonne after 2000. The report suggested that the ban period be extended to 75 days, along with a slew of other recommendations including licensing of fishing gears and banning operation of ring seiners during summer. The study was conclusive in stating that trawling ban alone would not help protect the marine ecology. It also stated that all of its recommendations be reviewed after three years. Fishing community wary of report findings Charles George of the Fisheries Coordination Committee said the fishing community did not completely agree with the report. The finding of the study that catch had declined is not true, as the highest catch in several years was recorded in 2013. But, over the last few years, sardine catch has plummeted, he said, adding that the fishing community fully supported the ban and it wanted it to be increased to 90 days. But, we don’t accept the ban on ring seiners, he added. Joseph Xavier Kalppurackal of the Boat Owners Association said the trawling ban be imposed as per recommendations of the study. The ban on monsoon fishing alone would not solve the problem as it is unscientific. We need ban on post-monsoon and pre-monsoon trawling as well, he said.
2016, The New Indian Express.