Kerala’s fishing boat operators have sought Prime Minister’s intervention in lifting the embargo imposed by the US government for wild caught shrimp exports for not using Turtle Exclusive Devices (TED) on fishing nets.

The ban imposed on shrimp products from India is on flimsy grounds and it resulted in dropping of prices from ₹200 per kg and putting the livelihood of fisher-folk in disarray, Joseph Xavier Kalapurackal, general secretary of All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association said.

The objection of US importers in accepting shrimp products is the apprehension that the fishing nets inadvertently catches turtles during fishing activity which would lead to dwindling of its population.

Quoting a CMFRI study, Kalapurackal said the turtle population in the coastal belt of the country is passing through different states and the number of turtles visiting Kerala beaches for nesting is very limited.

They assemble in groups for nesting in the beaches of Bay of Bengal in abundance. Turtle nesting along the beaches of the West Coast is very low, mostly less than 10 numbers per annum at specific locations.

‘Impractical solution’

Moreover, the tapping of marine mammals in shrimp nets is 0.01 per cent which does not amount to those killed in accidents in the seas. Odisha is imposing a ban on fishing in their coastal waters for more than 120 days a year for turtle nesting, he said adding that Kerala is operating a hatchery along Calicut coast for turtle propagation.

Fixing TED in fishing nets is an impractical solution as the bigger holes in the device would not only help escape turtles but fish as well. Besides, the device would cost around ₹39,000 which the poor fishermen could not afford. Further, there is not that much presence of turtles where they fish.

The Association has sought the assistance of the Prime Minister as all their efforts at the state level has not gone a step nearer to cause lifting the ban imposed. If the embargo persists, they requested the government to channelize the shrimp products from the State for selling through supermarkets across the country.