The 52-day ban on trawling, which begins on Thursday midnight and ends on July 31 midnight, will see over 3,600 trawlers off the Kerala waters as the fishers brace for another season of hardship.
All boats from outside Kerala, numbering around 800, according the Kerala Fishing Boat Operators' Association, have been ordered to leave the State by the time the ban begins.
A 24-hour control room has been opened at the Vypeen fisheries station for fishers’ safety operations. Besides, a marine ambulance and two patrol boats will be in operation. All diesel bunkers along the coast and in the fishing harbours will be closed. Inboard engine boats will get their fuel supply from Matsyafed-run bunkers and designated other outlets.
Fisheries Department authorities have warned against juvenile fishing while officials of the Food Safety And Standards Authority will take action against those selling fish contaminated by chemicals.
Free ration
Fishers and workers in shrimp peeling and fish processing units who will lose their income during the ban period will be provided free rations and the workers have been directed to submit their applications through their respective Matsya Bhavans.
Inboard engine vessels going out for fishing during the trawling ban season will be allowed only one carrier boat. Details of the boats and carrier boats have to be submitted to the respective fisheries offices. Traditional fishers, who venture out during the trawling ban season, have been instructed to carry biometric identification cards and safety equipment.
Annual ban
The period of the annual trawling ban was extended from 45 to 52 days last year despite the traditional sector seeking a longer period of trawling ban. The Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation and Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedi had wanted longer periods while the trawl boat operators had pointed to substantial losses in fishing days during 2020 and 2021.
The All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators had said that the 52-day trawling ban came into effect in addition to the large number of days that had been lost due to the pandemic spread as well as bad weather warning.