Protest against move to dilute trawling ban

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Traditional fishermen under the Kerala Swatantra Matsyathozhilali Federation will stage a protest in coastal villages against the move to dilute the trawling ban this year on June 1. 

Though the state government has declared a 52-day trawling ban from June 9, the decision by the Central Government to reduce the trawling ban beyond 12 nautical miles have not gone down well with the fishing community.

“The big boat owners have lobbied for diluting the trawling ban. The livelihood of traditional fishermen will be affected if they exploit the sea during spawning season,” said Jackson Pollayil, general secretary, Kerala Swatantra Matsyathozhilali Federation. 

He said the protest was aimed at reminding the governments about the need to follow the trawling ban. 
Traditional fishermen who gets exemption from the ban wanted a 90-day ban while the boat operators see it as a bane that affect their livelihood.