The Hindu Business Line : `No trawling zones' mooted to protect fish wealth of Kerala

The study revealed that on an average 2,500 tonnes of juveniles of squids and scuttle fish, 5,000 tonnes of shrimp juvenile and 700 tonnes of squid eggs were annually destroyed due to bottom trawling.

Kochi , April 13

THE expert committee on impact of bottom trawling on sea bottom and its living communities has recommended the formation of `no trawling zones' and extension of fishing holidays to 65 days to protect the fish wealth of the State.

As the annual 45 days ban imposed on bottom trawling from June 15 was found effective in the regeneration and recouping of sea bottom strata species, the panel suggested extension of fishing holidays to 65 days on the lines of the one proposed for the west coast States.

The study conducted by a team led by Principal Investigator, Dr B. Madhusoodana Kurup of the School of Industrial Fisheries of the Cochin University of Science and Technology suggested the formation of no trawling zones in select regions of continental shelf and slope ecosystems to recoup the benthic communities and sustenance of bottom living fish species.

The study, sponsored by the Department of Ocean Development through its Ocean Science and Technology Cell, found that eggs and juveniles of commercially important fin and shell fishes were destroyed due to bottom trawling.

It revealed that on an average 2,500 tonnes of juveniles of squids and scuttle fish, 5,000 tonnes of shrimp juvenile and 700 tonnes of squid eggs were annually destroyed due to bottom trawling. Considering these aspects, the expert committee suggested reduction of trawl fishing pressure during February to May and improvement in the cod-end-mesh size used in the bottom trawlers.

During the trawl operations, it was found that 232 marine species were killed and discarded into sea from the bottom trawlers.

This disproportionate destruction of non target organisms would adversely affect the biodiversity of the coastal waters, the study warned.

The trawl net and accessories presently used were causing heavy damage to the seabed by penetrating into it and dispersing off the top layer of sediments. Hence, necessary technical modification in the design and operation of trawl gears to be introduced to make bottom trawling eco friendly.

The impacts of trawling were studied by conducting trawling operations along Kochi-Munambom area at a depth ranging from 0 to 50 metres from December 2000 to November 2003. It was found that around 2.4 lakh tonnes of fish and other marine organisms were thrown back into the sea from bottom trawlers annually due to their non edible nature, wrong species and size, lack of storage facilities on board fishing vessels and low market value.

The panel suggested that steps be initiated for the utilisation of discards including preparation of value added products. The study also warned of imbalances in the marine ecosystem due to the proliferation of crabs, squilla, starfish and sea snakes which are among the discards and having high survival rates.

As the fishing pressure from bottom trawlers along coastal waters was found to be very high, the expert committee suggested that its number be restricted to 3,000. Currently, nearly 5,000 such units are operating from the nine coastal districts of the State. The study also recommended the establishment of Marine Protection areas for the protection of benthic habitats and conservation of marine fishery.