THIRUVANATHAPURAM: A 45-day-long ban on trawling by mechanised boats along the Kerala coast during monsoon season will come into force from the midnight of June 14.This was decided at a high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Monday.The ban would be in force till July 31. The meeting decided to use helicopter for aerial surveillance during the ban period. The Coast Guard will be entrusted with the task of ensuring that foreign vessels do not violate the ban order. The matter will be brought to the notice of the Defence Ministry. The meeting also decided to use wireless technology from next year for the proper implementation of the trawl ban.The monsoon season is breeding season of nearly 300 species along the west coast of India.For the past 23 years, the ban is being imposed in the state during monsoon, considered to be the prime breeding season for scores of varieties of sea fish. Trawling during the monsoon was first banned in the state in 1988 based on the recommendations of Balakrishnan Nair Committee appointed by the State Government to look into the impact of trawling.The ban aimed to help regenerate marine life along the state's 22km wide coastal waters. The traditional fishworkers belonging to the Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF) of the state had urged the State Government to implement a 90day trawling ban instead of the 45-day ban to facilitate natural breeding of the common pelagic fish in the Kerala waters during monsoon season.The presence of foreign fishing vessels on the territorial waters of the state even after the 45day ban had caused great harm to young fish. The traditional fishing sector using country boats is exempted from the ban in the state through the Kerala Monsoon Fishery (Pelagic) Protection Bill 2007.The Act enabled traditional fishermen to catch pelagic fish such as oil sardine and mackerel in the territorial waters of the state stretching 12 nautical miles. However, they are permitted to carry out fishing only in the territorial waters and catch only pelagic fish. The law was enacted to overcome the restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court which wanted governments of coastal states to ban trawling by mechanised boats as well as fishing by country craft using engines of more than 9.9 HP during monsoon season.Monday's meeting was attended by representatives of various fishworkers organisations, officials of Police and Coast Guard.
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