The Hindu Business Line : Bill to ease curbs on monsoon fishing

Thiruvananthapuram June 19 A Bill to permit traditional fishermen to undertake pelagic fishery during monsoon has been introduced in the Kerala Assembly.

The Kerala Monsoon Fishery (Pelagic) Protection Bill, 2007, introduced in the Assembly on Tuesday, seeks to allow traditional fishermen for pelagic fishery without harming the juvenile fish and fish egg found in the seabed.

The objective of the Bill is to save the traditional fishermen from the hardships caused by the general ban on fishing during monsoon.

The ban on trawling during monsoon had been in vogue in the State for the past 19 years. Kerala is the first State in the country to impose such a ban for protecting the fish wealth.

`NOT PRACTICAL'

While some States such as Gujarat and Maharashtra have been imposing total ban on fishing during monsoon, it is felt that such a ban is not practical in Kerala for social reasons.

Even when trawl ban is imposed, the traditional fishermen should benefit from fishing in the surface without disturbing the seabed and the Bill aims at giving legal protection to the fishermen for the purpose.

It is estimated that around 26 per cent of the pelagic fish catch in the State is done during the monsoon season.

More Stories on : Agricultural Policy | Aquaculture | Climate & Weather | Kerala

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