KOCHI: The fisheries department on Thursday issued an order banning fishing operations in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India which extends from 12 nautical miles to 200 nautical miles from the coastal area. The Fisheries Ministry had issued an order banning all fishing activities in the EEZ from June 1 to July 31, the trawl ban season in Kerala.
Though Kerala imposes a fishing ban during the first two months of monsoon, traditional fishermen are exempted from the ban and are allowed to fish in territorial waters that extend up to 12 nautical miles.
Recently, the coast guard filed a report to the fisheries department pointing out the violation of the ban by traditional fishermen who are going beyond the territorial waters. The fishing vessels that violate the ban will not be allowed to enter the harbours and auction their catch at the landing centres, said the order issued by fisheries deputy director S Jayasree.
Meanwhile, mechanised fishing boat operators alleged that the state government was granting licences to fibre boats from Tamil Nadu to fish in Kerala’s territorial waters and they are indiscriminately scouring the sea defeating the concept of conservation.
“These fibre boats are involved in indiscriminate fishing which will lead to depletion of marine resources. The government takes harsh steps against mechanised boats in the name of juvenile fishing and allows other state boats to involve in illegal fishing. The fibre boats are using banned nets and are catching demersal fish species that are found at the bottom of the sea. We had demanded that all fishing activities should be banned during the trawl ban season,” said All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association general secretary Joseph Xavier Kalapurackal.
Meanwhile, the fisheries station at Vypeen impounded four fibre boats for involvement in unregulated fishing and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each.
“Some boats from Thiruvananthapuram are fishing in the territorial waters. We have issued an order banning activities beyond 12 nautical miles and action will be taken against the boats that violate the order,” said fisheries assistant director P Aneesh.
Responding to the allegations of boat owners, the office of the fisheries minister said the state cannot ban fishermen from other states from fishing in Kerala waters. “Mechanised boats from Kerala go for fishing Gujarat coast and people from the state are working in other states. People who have obtained a licence can fish in any state.
The allegations are part of the dispute between mechanised boat owners and traditional fishermen. Both people involved in illegal fishing. We impose fine on fishing boats only if there is more than 40 per cent juvenile fish in the catch,” said the officer.