Boat operators say pollution of water bodies is primary cause of depletion of fish resources
Boat operators say pollution of water bodies is primary cause of depletion of fish resources
The imposition of a 52-day annual trawling ban on the Kerala coast has once again left traditional fishermen and trawl boat owners divided.
The fisheries department has called a meeting of all stakeholders in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday to discuss the issues being faced by the fisheries sector as well as the ban.
Antony Kurisinkal, Alappuzha district secretary, Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation, said, “The fisheries sector has been going through a constant crisis over the years, and strict conservation measures are needed to ensure a stable future for the fishermen community.”
He said the federation is for a 90-day ban and will hold protests in all districts based on the decision taken by the fisheries department after Friday’s meeting.
Antony Aashrayam, a traditional fisherman from Alappuzha’s Arthunakal, said the trawling ban was aimed at conserving resources, which would benefit both trawl boat owners as well as traditional fishermen. Hence, it is meaningless that the troll boat owners are opposing the annual ban, he said.
destructive fishing
The federation’s Jackson Polayil said trawl boat owners were also facing resource constraints, and some operators were even resorting to destructive practices such as pair or bull trawling. They deploy boats in pairs and scour the sea bed with fishing nets, even killing juvenile fish.
Joseph Kalapurkal, secretary of the Fishing Boat Operators Association, said that considering the severe loss of fishing days due to restrictions during COVID-19 and weather warnings in 2021, the trawling ban will be reconsidered at least for the upcoming season. can go.
pollution crisis
He claimed that fish resources were not affected by over-fishing but by pollution of water bodies including backwaters. He claimed that the depth of Vembanad Lake, one of the major fish resources in central Kerala, has come down from an average of 9.6 meters to 1.3 meters, in which polluting materials like silt and plastic have accumulated.
He said the government and the marine scientific community should study the situation to reconsider the annual trawling ban. He said that Indian fishermen are losing precious resources due to the ban, while foreign operators have exploited these assets.
The trawling ban has been in force in the state since 1982 for varying periods, while the central government has imposed a similar ban on other coastal states. The ban period is from June 1 to July 31 on the west coast and from April 15 to June 15 on the east coast.
It is estimated that there are 38,000 boats operating off the coast of Kerala, which will be banned during the monsoon season. There are also over 14,300 traditional fishing boats that have been granted permits to obtain subsidized kerosene.