Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty Amma on Thursday told the Assembly that the government would construct three offshore breakwater systems at three maritime locations off Thiruvananthapuram to protect the shoreline from high waves and decelerate coastal erosion.

Concluding the discussion on the demands for grants for Fisheries, the Minister said the structures would help reduce the intensity of incoming waves, cushion beaches from tidal erosion and offer safe harbourage for traditional fishers.

The Minister said offshore breakwaters would be implemented across the State if found successful in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Fisheries Department would create bioreserves for clams and pearl spot at the Vembanad, Ashtamudi, Kappadi and Pokkali lagoons. The reserves would run into scores of hectares and conservationists recruited from traditional fishers would protect them.

The government hoped to protect indigenous fish species from endangerment.

The State's crackdown on exploitative fishing, including the harvesting of fries and destruction of natural hatcheries by seabed trawling, had helped increase annual catch from 4.8 lakh tonnes last fiscal to 6.9 lakh tonnes in 2018-19.

She said that oil sardine and mackerel formed the bulk of the local catch.The House passed the demand by vote.