KOCHI: Traditional fishers are observing a 'sea hartal' on Wednesday protesting the deep sea fishing by unauthorised vessels in the state's territorial waters. A joint action committee of non-political trade unions called for the hartal along the Manjeswaram to Parassala coastal sea. They say the bottom trawling boats from the neighbouring state are fishing in deep waters in the state due to apathetic attitude of the Central and state governments.
A major reason cited for depletion in marine fisheries resources is deep bottom trawling by unauthorised boats. “While traditional fishers keep away from the sea during the 90-day trawl ban period, the mechanised trawlers illegally enter the Kerala coasts and loot the fisheries resources. The state government has failed to take any effective steps to prevent entry of large trawl vessels,” alleged V.D. Majeendran of joint action committee.
Though catching juvenile fishes of 14 varieties was banned last year to conserve the marine fisheries resources, the authorities have failed to enforce it. The catch of juveniles by trawlers for supplying to the fish manure factories located outside the state is cited as a major cause for the depletion of resources along Kerala coasts.
