Report on duration of fish ban to be submitted in December

Mangaluru: CMFRI Director Dr Grinson George stated that the Technical Committee which reviews the duration of the fishing ban period and recommends measures for conservation and management, will submit its report to the Central Government by December–January.

As Chairman of the Committee, he said that the committee will consult all stakeholders on the duration of the fishing ban across the country and arrive at a consensus before submitting the report.

“Extending the ban duration will help fishermen in conserving marine resources,” he added.

“We are consulting stakeholders and fisheries departments regarding the number of days for a uniform ban period across the country. Gujarat has agreed to increase the number of ban days.

"Karnataka has also expressed its consent. However, there are differing opinions in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The concerns of both traditional and mechanised fishing sectors also need to be addressed. We will assess the matter from technical, scientific, and social angles to arrive at practical solutions,” he explained.

"Currently, a 61-day fishing ban is in place, but the months in which the ban is implemented vary depending on monsoon patterns and fishing activities in each state. Fishermen are demanding a uniform number of ban days across the country and are willing to increase the ban duration, he said.

The committee consists of eight members: the CMFRI Director (Chairman), Fisheries Development Commissioner, Directors of Fisheries from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Director of the Bay of Bengal Programme – Inter-Governmental Organisation, Chennai; Director of the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology; a representative from the National Fish Workers Forum, Mumbai; and the Director General of the Fishery Survey of India, Mumbai.

Dr George also stressed the need for 'Make in India' equipment for identifying fish resources in the deep sea. Currently, echo sounders are used for resource identification.

However, in deep-sea fishing, the nets may drift away from the actual resource location. “Acoustic machines, which can address this issue more accurately, cost around Rs 70 lakh. The National Institute of Ocean Technology will work on developing such equipment under the Make in India initiative,” he said.

Karnataka Fisheries Department Director Dinesh Kumar Kaller said that the Karnataka government is ready to extend the fishing ban period from 61 days to 90 days, provided all states on the west coast agree to the proposal.