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61-day fishing ban begins in Tamil Nadu

As a result of the ban, over 6,000 mechanised boats will remain docked for the next two months.

Chennai: The extended fishing ban in the Tamil Nadu had begun on Sunday, adding to the woes of fishermen who were already severely hit by the Ennore oil spill.

For years Tamil Nadu had been implementing the fishing ban for 45-47 days, but adhering to the Union Agriculture Ministry, the state government had implemented the ban for 61 days to increase the fish reproduction.

Although the central government gave a period of 5 years to state governments to implement the newly extended ban on the respective coasts, Tamil Nadu had decided to implement the advice from this year. As a result of the ban, over 6,000 mechanised boats will remain docked for the next two months.

Meanwhile, the fishermen expressed concerns over the extended ban, as they fear the ban would push them into poverty. “The oil spill in January and the subsequent 45-day ban had affected the sales last year,” K. Bharathi, president of South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association, said. He added that the fishing ban was not the only solution to increase the fish count. The government should take innovative measures, he said.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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