The Hindu Business Line : A controversial ban

Last week brought some bad tidings for Kerala's seafood exporters and fishermen. Disposing of a public interest litigation by a Goa-based organisation, the Supreme Court decided to extend the monsoon trawling ban in Kerala by a fortnight. The State Government had - as it has been doing every year since 1988 - imposed the ban on Kerala waters from mid-June to July 31. Apparently, the apex court had extended the trawling ban to August 15 to ensure a uniform 67-day ban across the country. The Supreme Court order is applicable to the five west coast States, namely, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala.

Sure enough, the decision sparked off some predictable reactions. The State's seafood exporters claim they may lose as much as Rs 300 crore of business if the ban is extended. According to A.J. Tharakan, President, Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), the court's decision has come at a particularly bad time as Kerala's exporters were gearing up to meet their commitments, anticipating the lifting of the fishery holiday on July 31. The target for shrimp exports this year was Rs 7,500 crore, up from the Rs 7,245 crore achieved in 2005-06.

COUNTER MOVE

The State Government, for its part, is seeking legal opinion on filing a review petition to challenge the Supreme Court order extending the monsoon trawl ban. Fisheries Minister S. Sarma explained to reporters that while the monsoon period in Kerala is June to July, it is staggered over a larger period in the other States. The apex court may have issued the order to ensure a uniform ban across the coast so that enforcement becomes easier, he added.

But there is one vocal section of the fishing community that is not happy with the Kerala State Government's position. The State's independent trade union for fishworkers, the Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation, has condemned the government move to file a review petition challenging the Supreme Court order. Federation State President T. Peter has urged the government and boat owners to implement welfare schemes for the fishermen who would not be able to go to sea during the period.

DIFFERENT VIEWS

There are others who think otherwise. The Cochin Fisheries Harbour alone has nearly 500 boats based there and it is difficult to ignore the demands of the mechanised sector, represented by organizations like the Kerala State Fishing Boat Operators Association which, in the past, has urged for a blanket ban on all sorts of fishing during the monsoon, including operations of foreign boats and inboard-engine-fitted craft increasingly being used by the traditional sector.

Over the years a consensus seems to have been built on the need for an annual trawl ban during the monsoon, which is the spawning season for many varieties of fish, including shrimp, especially the highly valued `karikadi' variety. Yet, even though conservation is high up on the agenda of most of the stakeholders in the fisheries sector, including artisanal fishing communities, the way in which conservation initiatives are actually played out may often have unintended consequences.

In the present case, it is difficult to see the rationale for the extension of the ban in Kerala. Past experience has shown that a 45-day fishing closure (raised from the initial 30-day period) may well be all that is required to allow fish stocks to recuperate and remain at sustainable yield levels. By extending the ban, the livelihoods of the workers and crew of around 5,000 trawlers will be put in jeopardy. At the same time, around 1.75 lakh fishermen in the small-scale sector could benefit from the extension.

LOCAL IMPERATIVES

That dilemma swings the spotlight to the need for livelihood-sensitive conservation, keeping in mind the dynamic nature of the small-scale fisheries sector. Also conservation strategies need to factor in traditional ecological knowledge systems that have evolved within local and indigenous coastal communities, based on generations of close interaction with the coastal ecosystem.

As the livelihoods of coastal communities continue to depend on coastal biodiversity and access to it, conservation measures like the trawl ban should consider local conditions and not be applied in a blanket manner. The moot question before the State Government, marine exporters and the diverse segments of the fisherfolk is, whether to factor in local conditions before applying the extension of the annual trawl ban in a blanket manner.

The writer can be contacted at kgkumar@gmail.com

More Stories on : Aquaculture | Exports & Imports | Courts/Legal Issues | Random Walk | Kerala

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