CHENNAI: Fishermen in the city fear that the extended 60-day fishing ban, which will begin on Sunday, will push the into penury. Alleging that sales never picked up since the Ennore oil spill, fishermen told Express the ban came at the worst time possible.Based on the recommendations of the technical committee of scientists from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, the Union Agriculture Ministry had decided to increase the fishing ban period from 45-47 days to 61 days along the eastern and western coasts.
While the Centre gave a period of five years to State governments to implement the extended ban on their coasts, States such as Odisha and West Bengal had implemented the ban in the previous season. Tamil Nadu has decided to implement it from this year. As a result, nearly 6,000 mechanised boats will not go out to sea for the next two months.
“The oil spill in January and the 45-day fishing ban had crippled sales last year and it has never picked up,” said K Bharathi, president of South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association. He said around 800 mechanised boats were grounded at Kasimedu harbour due to losses which ensued the oil spill. “Business has not picked up and this has made trawler owners think twice before undertaking a fishing trip,” Bharathi said, alleging that fish count has also come down. Fishermen said the fishing ban was not the only solution to increase fish count. They called for more innovative measures.