Thiruvananthapuram, May 31 (IANS): Starting midnight June 9, fishing trawlers will have to keep 12 nautical miles away from the Kerala coast as the 52-day-long trawling ban will come into effect, the state government decided on Wednesday.

It will end on July 31 midnight.

In its weekly meeting, the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet decided to go forward with the trawling ban, which was first enforced in 1988.

The ban is, however, not applicable to the traditional fishermen.

The state government makes all arrangements for the fisher folks for any of their needs who can get in touch with the control room that will be functional.

The reason for the ban is that it is the breeding season for fishes and any disturbance to that process depletes fish wealth.

Any trawler which breaks the rules is fined.

Fish are considered one of the most important dishes in a huge majority of the Kerala households. The ban is expected to hike the fish prices by 30 per cent.

Kerala has over 200 marine fishing villages and total fishermen is in excess of seven lakhs.

The state government, during the ban period, provides relief to the fisher folks by way of ration distribution.