KOCHI: As the 52-day monsoon trawling ban is set to begin on Friday midnight, most mechanised fishing boats in Kerala have returned to the harbours. Approximately 3,600 mechanised fishing boats, 500 gillnet boats, and 114 purse seine boats operating from Kerala harbours will cease fishing activities from June 9.
The majority of the workers on these boats are residents of the Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi districts in Tamil Nadu, while a few are migrant labourers from Assam. These workers have started returning to their native places and will not return until the end of July. During the ban period, boat owners utilise the time to carry out maintenance works on their boats.
However, traditional fishermen are allowed to continue fishing activities during the ban period, which is a season when they can earn a good income.
According to fishermen, the fishing sector has experienced its most productive season in the past 10 years during 2022. Last year, fish landings in the harbours in the state amounted to 6.89 lakh tonnes, and the return of oil sardines after a long period has instilled hope among the fishermen.
While traditional fishermen have been demanding an extension of the trawl ban period to three months, mechanised boat owners are demanding a complete fishing ban during the monsoon.
“The traditional fishermen are using powerful engines and nets with small mesh size. Fishing activities should be banned during the fish breeding season to protect marine resources. The big outboard engine boats used by traditional fishermen are larger than mechanised boats and they engage in destructive fishing practices. The fisheries minister has agreed to conduct a study on fishing bans,” said Joseph Xavier Kalapurackal, the general secretary of the All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association.
He complained that the state government has been harassing boat owners in the name of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities. While violations by traditional fishermen are ignored, the government is taking strict action against boat owners.
Joseph Xavier stated that the government has collected Rs 49 crore as fines from boat owners in the past five years. However, Charles George, the state president of Kerala Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedi, demanded a complete ban on trawling activities.
“Many countries have banned trawl boat operations due to the destruction of the marine ecosystem. India has the shortest trawl ban period compared to other nations in the Indian Ocean region. While other states impose a 61-day trawl ban, Kerala has reduced it to 52 days. We have demanded an increase in the ban period to 60 days,” he said.