61-day annual fishing ban begins

The 61-day annual ban on fishing by mechanised boats being operated from the fishing harbours at Tharuvaikulam, Thoothukudi and Chinna Muttom came into effect from Saturday midnight.

Around 650 boats being operated from these harbours and a few boats having their bases at Vembar and Veerapandianpattinam would be anchored till June 15 to facilitate breeding of fish. Fish price would witness 50% to 75% rise during this period.

The fishermen would use the ban period to carry out major overhauling of their vessels and prepare nets for the next season.

As mechanised boats of the east coast do not venture into the sea during this period, mechanised vessels from Muttom, Colachel and Thengaaipattinam in Kanniyakumari district and boats from Kerala used to intrude into the tranquil ‘banned zone’ for poaching. When this problem continued despite repeated complaints from fishermen, two mechanised boats from the west coast were detained in Thoothukudi district last year.

Though these boats were released following negotiations, fishermen expect that the violation would continue this year too.

“This time we’ll strengthen our monitoring on high seas to check infiltration by mechanised boats from the west coast. If the boats are detained, the violators will have to pay a heavy price. Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi Collectors should evolve a strategy to avoid these conflicts,” a mechanised boat fishermen of Tharuvaikulam said.