The Hindu : Central `fishing holiday' unlikely in State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 28, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Central `fishing holiday' unlikely in State

By Ignatius Pereira

KOLLAM APRIL 27. The 65-day fishing holiday from June to August on the western coast proposed by the Centre will in all probability be ignored by the State. Sources in the Department of Fisheries told `The Hindu' that under the present situation on the coastal belt, the traditional fishing sector could not be told to stay away from earning their livelihood.

"The issue will, however, go before the Cabinet for a final decision,'' which again is naturally expected to only circumvent the proposal by taking a decision which would bypass the traditional fishing sector and maintain the status quo as far as the monsoon ban on trawling is concerned.

There is also apprehension that the Centre's proposal if implemented would lead to serious law and order problems as the same would be tantamount to depriving the traditional fishermen of their bread, especially during a time of the year when harvest is plenty.

The Centre's proposal is to impose the fishing holiday from June 10 to August 15. On the other hand, the State, for the past 14 years, had been enforcing a 45- day ban on trawling during the June-July monsoon season. While the latter ban was expected to continue, the fishing holiday mooted by the Centre will not be imposed on the traditional fishermen.

It is also likely that the State would convene a meeting of Fisheries Ministers from the southern States for discussing the pros and cons of the proposed 65-day fishing holiday.

Meanwhile, the mechanised fishing sector here has extended a cautious welcome to the Centre's proposal by stating that if the State had decided implementing the ban it should strictly cover both the traditional and mechanised sector.

In a statement, the Kollam District Fishing Boat Operators Association said that if the State Government tried to interpret the Centre's proposal in a manner favouring the traditional fishermen, the same would be countered by the mechanised sector.

The statement said that the Centre's proposal by itself was evidence that the monsoon ban on trawling imposed in the State for the past 14 years had not in any way served the purposes for which it had been implemented.

If the purpose has to be served, there should be a ban on traditional fishing more than trawling.

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