KOCHI: The All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association has submitted a memorandum to the principal secretary (Fisheries) urging the official to allow boats that are 20m-long to resume fishing in the state. Though the Centre has issued two notifications relaxing lockdown restrictions for resuming fishing operations, the state government has only allowed that are 10m-long, to carry out fishing.

“There are not many boats in the category in the state,” said general secretary of the association Joseph Xavier Kalapurackal. He said around 1,600 fishing boats in the 20m category operate and 1,200 of them are awaiting the government’s permission to return to the sea.

“The livelihood of fishermen has been badly affected due to the lockdown which has been in place for over a month. With the 61-day trawling ban set to begin on June 1, fishermen should be allowed to return to work and save some money for sustaining themselves during the ban,” he said.