KOCHI: With the 52-day trawl ban along the Kerala coastline set to kick in on Tuesday midnight, around 80% of mechanised fishing boats have returned to the coast.
The fisheries department will intensify patrolling to keep a check on violations. This period of inactivity, however, will offer traditional fishermen the opportunity to improve their catch.
According to boat operators, the ban will only add to the strain they have been experiencing. “We have to spend around Rs 5 lakh to refurbish each vessel.
Additionally, we have to purchase new fishing gear and apply anti-fouling coating to prevent algae and molluscs from attaching themselves to the hull.
We are already under duress due to the scarcity of fish and hike in fuel prices,” All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association president Peter Mathias said.
Meanwhile, owners of the nearly 3,500 mechanised fishing boat have approached the fisheries minister seeking enforcement of a total fishing ban during the period.
Boat operators also urged the minister to stop issuing temporary licences to fishing boats from Tamil Nadu. The fishing ban in Tamil Nadu ends on June 15 and boats from the state will operate in Kerala waters leading to the depletion of our fish stocks, a boat owner said.