Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (RD)

Mangalore, Aug 3: Fishermen are gearing up for the fishing season, thanks to SC verdict, almost a fortnight earlier, from Friday August 3.  As per the district administration's order, fishing season was to begin on August 15.  But an interim order by the SC has directed that the fishermen could venture into deep sea from August 3. Hence, fishermen are busy engaged in repairing boats, weaving nets, loading the ice into their boats etc these days.

However, the trawlers who can venture into deep sea from Friday Aug 3 can return only after Augus10, as stated in the government order. Accordingly the ban on mechanized boat fisheries has become 60 days.

National Federation of Fishermen and Karnataka Coastal Fishermen Action Committee have demanded to follow uniform ban applicable to Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharastra and Gujarat on the West coast.

Accordingly the fisheries ban for 47 days was applicable to Goa and Kerala while the state government announced the ban for 65 days initially while it has atlast been reduced to 60 days, this year. Moreover deep sea trawlers were further allowed concessions in this regard.

In the coastal district of DK, Udupi and Uttara Kannada with a coastline of 300 kms, 2,947 trawlers, 383 Persian boats, 4389 semi-mechanized boats, and 21,291 traditional boats are engaged in fisheries. 

Al though the fisheries ban has been nearing end and the fisheries season likely to begin, the sea seems to have not calmed.  It still remains turbulent.  Moreover the de-silting of fisheries port at Mangalore has not been undertaken so far.  In the midst of all this, the fishermen seem to be getting themselves ready to venture into the sea.