Juvenile fishing is posing a challenge to sustainable fisheries. Absence of mechanism for enforcement of restrictions on nets and gears and lack of awareness among traditional fishermen is leading to proliferation of juvenile fishing forcing them to go for deep-sea fishing for their livelihood.
“Various technologies like fish finders, navigational devices and Global Positioning System (GPS) should be used to avoid catching juveniles. We have launched a campaign in 2013 to increase the awareness level by involving the stakeholders to understand the issue and take remedial measures,” Principal Scientist at Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (Chennai) Dr. K. Vijayakumaran told The Hindu on Wednesday.
Hatching from egg to larvae and growing from fry (post-hatching stage) to fingerling (when fins get extended and scales developed fully) to reach adulthood, it takes time. However, before they attain adulthood, they are captured. According to an estimate, one-fourth of small fish in the process gets discarded.
Dr. Vijaykumaran, who served as Director-General of Fishery Survey of India during 2009-13, said economic benefits could be enjoyed if the biological process of growing was allowed for reproduction.
Calling for involving fishers in management role to optimise maximum sustainable yield, he said they should allow normal process of breeding. In Visakhapatnam coast, the number of Maga (Polynemus species), various types of prawns, cat fish and white fish (Lactarius) is fast dwindling due to juvenile fishing. “Proper awareness among fishermen will ensure fast growth of big fish near the shore instead of forcing them to go to deep-sea spending more operational cost,” he said. The seasonal ban in east and west coasts was a healthy conservation initiative. He said ocean fish wealth was estimated at 4.4 million tonne as against annual landing of 3.5 million tonne.
