All set for trawling ban

To come into effect from midnight of June 14

The district administration has made all arrangements for enforcing the trawling ban along the Kozhikode coast from midnight of June 14 to July 31.

The District Collector C.A. Latha said here recently that motor boats and vessels with outboard/inboard engines should not engage in fishing. Fishing boats or vessels engaged in fishing along Kozhikode coast from other districts or States should leave by June 14 midnight.

Otherwise these boats would be seized and docked at the shore till the end of the trawling ban period. Also, boats requiring repairs should be taken to the base station before the trawling ban, Ms. Latha said.

The Collector also said that trawling by using the pairing of two country boats (vallam) would not be allowed. Such practices increased in recent times. Besides, it was found that boats engage in catching unmarketable small fishes and fingerlings through nets and sell them in the sea itself.

47-day ban

The 47-day ban is being imposed 22 kms or 12 nautical miles off the coast as per the Kerala Marine fishing Regulation Act to protect the fishes while they are in their reproductive mode. Kozhikode district has a coastline of more than 70 kms.

As many as 524 mechanized fishing boats, 103 in-board engine fitted country boats and 3,097 out-board engine fitted country boats and 129 engine-fitted country boats have been registered with the Department of Fisheries. About 27,000 persons are employed in fishing in the district.

During the trawling ban, however, fishermen could take up other allied activities. Besides, country boats engaged in traditional means of fishing and country boats fitted with inboard and outboard engines have been exempted from the ban

Families of the fishermen earning a living through deep fishing and other ancillary activities would be given free ration during the trawling ban period. Applications should be submitted at Vadakara , Koyilandy, Elathur, Beypore and Kadalundi Matsya Bhavans before June 15.

Those who had secured the benefits the previous year need not apply again. Details are also available at the office of the Fisheries Directorate ( 0496-2383780).