• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Sajeev Kumar V.

KOCHI, Aug 13

THE trawling ban imposed by the State Government during the monsoon period along the Kerala coast has proved to be effective in providing much respite to marine fish stocks and its habitat.

In a report submitted to the Government, the School of Industrial Fisheries under Cochin University Science and Technology said that the fishing holidays imposed for bottom trawling was useful in improving the length of shrimp species such as karikkadi and poovalan in the fish landings after the introduction of the ban.

The report said that benthic communities (bottom dwelling animals) such as polychaetes, nematodes, bivales and copepods - which disappeared as a result of intense trawling activities by January - regenerated 3-4 times during the closure periods.

The three-year study had been entrusted to the School of Industrial Fisheries by the Government to make a scientific evaluation on the impact of ban on the exploited marine fishery resources and sea bottom conditions.

The first year's report had already been submitted to the authorities and the school is in the process of conducting the study for the second year, Dr B. Madhusoodana Kurup, Principal Investigator, said.

He said that the landing of shrimps from the traditional sector had showed an increase of 26 per cent during the ban period, compared to 18 per cent reported before the introduction of the ban.

The shrimp landing during the monsoon registered an increase of 40 per cent as against the pre-ban periods.

The landings from mechanized sector showed an increase of 42 per cent against pre-ban periods.

Ernakulam district occupied the frontier position in the landings, followed by Kollam and Alappuzha districts.

Kerala, endowed with 590 km surf-beaten coastline which forms one-tenth of the total coastal length of the country, had always occupied a foremost position in fish production by contributing more than 30 per cent.

Fisheries contribute to three per cent of the total economy of the State and about two lakh of the total 10 lakh fishermen are actively engaged in fishing, besides another two lakh in fisheries-allied industries.

Though the marine fish production in the State had registered an impressive growth between 1950 and 1980, it showed a dwindling tendency during 1981-87.

By fully realising the need to impose regulatory management measures for the conservation of fisheries, the Government has been imposing a ban on bottom trawling during the June-August period from 1988, with a duration varying from 22 to 70 days.

The report also revealed that the ban was helpful in improving the socio-economic status of various sectors involved.

The household income of the traditional fishermen had showed an increase of Rs 9,000 per annum, while that of the motorised and mechanised were Rs 32,000 and Rs 92,000 respectively.

The landing of demersal resources (bottom-dwelling fish) showed an increase of 69 per cent during the ban period.

Around 70 per cent of the landings in the study period were accounted for by fish, while coastal prawns accounted for 10.5 per cent and deep sea prawns, eight per cent.

Cephalopods (squids and cuttle fishes) contributed to eight per cent, whereas crabs contributed to only 0.5 per cent.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section
Coast Guard assures help in rescue operations

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line