Even as a truce between traditional fishermen and boat operators over unsustainable fishing practices has brought temporary calm on the coast, traditional fishermen have called for a total ban on trawling operations off the coast of Kerala to help increase fish resources and make operations sustainable.
Trawling as such is a destructive practice as it puts the sea through a sieve and the only way to end destructive practices such as pelagic trawling is to fully ban trawling operations, says P.V. Jayan, general secretary of traditional fishermen’s union Parambaragatha Matsya Thozhilali Samiti.
Coastal law enforcement agencies and the Fisheries department met representatives of both boat owners and traditional fishermen in August to work out a truce following protest from traditional fishermen, who seized boats that they alleged were engaged in pelagic trawling.
Following the meeting, a code of conduct for fishing operators was issued through the department ordering pelagic trawl net owners to surrender the gear before August 31. The meeting also came to an understanding that law cannot be taken in the hands of any group and that law enforcement agencies would take action against those who violated fishing regulations.
But fishermen alleged that pelagic trawling was continuing unabated in the southern waters between Kayamkulam and Kollam. Antony Kurisinka, a fisherman in Alappuzha, demanded that the agencies should inspect the boats before they set out to detect the banned gears used for pelagic trawling.
Mr. Jayan called for end to night fishing and use of heavy lights for fishing during the night hours. He said different wings of coastal law enforcement agencies should jointly form a unit to take on night patrolling duty because most of the unsustainable activities took place during night hours.
He said fishermen had also alleged that fishing boats from neighbouring State harbours too operated in the waters off Kerala in the night hours. Juvenile fishing had been reported from harbours in Thrissur district, he added.