Fishing conservation turns contentious again

By Shakeel M. Rasheed

VISAKHAPATNAM, APRIL 19. The issue of conservation in fishing operations off the east coast is turning contentious again with fishermen in the mechanised and deepsea sector divided over the need for keeping their boats off to help the regeneration of marine resources in the Bay of Bengal.

Fishermen in the mechanised sector, the main proponents of the concept of conservation in fishing operations, and trawler operators had in the past differed over the efficacy of the self- imposed ban and later on the dates for the lay-off period, but this time around the bone of contention seems be the `non- cooperation' of the fishermen in Orissa, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu in falling in line with the ban.

While fishermen in the mechanised sector at the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour, the operational headquarters of deepsea fishing in the country, have already declared the lay-off period from Sunday night to May 31, and the Seafood Exporters Association of India (AP region), too, seemingly agreeing to keep their vessels off fishing (though not formally announced by it), the mini- trawlers represented by Deepsea Trawler Owners' Welfare Association, have struck a defiant stand.

``It does not make sense, we on Andhra coast observe the monsoon trawl ban but fishermen in Orissa, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu flout it. We have common fishing grounds,'' Dr. Y.G.K. Murthy, president of DTOWA which represents about 40 mini trawlers, told TheHindu on Tuesday.

He claimed that his association was ready to observe the lay-off period if fishermen in all the maritime States uniformly observed the common conservation period, and as it was not happening now, the mini- trawler operators had decided to take their vessels out to the sea once their maintenance works were over in about 10 days. ``We have conveyed our decision to the Fisheries Department and the various bodies representing the fishing operators,'' he said.

Fishermen in Orissa, according to him, had sought exemption from the ban last year on the plea that they needed to recover from the super cyclone impact ``but there is no apparent sign of them joining us now''. Dr. Murthy said his association was also opposed to the idea of exempting the `daily fishing' during the conservation period. ``We have written to the Government that a uniform conservation period off the East Coast could be observed by taking the help of the Coast Guard,'' he added.

Traditional fishermen in the mechanised sector, represented by the AP Mechanised Fishing Boat Operators Association (APMFBOA) and Visakha Dolphin Boat Operators Welfare Association, had sent a delegation to Orissa recently for enlisting the support of their Oriya counterparts in enforcing the conservation period.

``The Fisheries Department officials in Orissa and the local associations representing the fishermen have promised to observe the lay- off this season. Though they seem to have a problem of enforcing the ban given the fact the boats in that State operate from various points on the coast, they have assured us of fullest cooperation,'' Mr. P. Maheswara Rao, general secretary of APMFBOA, said.

The conservation period was being observed by over 3,000 mechanised boats operating from Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Machilipatnam, Nizampatnam and Krishnapatnam on Andhra coast.

Fishermen in the mechanised sector in AP have for long been seeking a uniform monsoon trawl ban by all coastal States through enactment of laws for allowing completion of the breeding cycle of prawns, the species that sustains the fishing industry. They vouch for the results of the conservation practice in terms of improved catches.

The APMFBOA has pointed out in its various representations to the Government that even if one coastal State enacts the ban, fishermen in other States could venture out to fishing defeating its objective of conservation of resources.

According to the association, uniform effort in conserving the marine resources could be possible only if the ban is enacted by Parliament, which has been recommended by the Majumdar Committee. The Ministry of Agriculture has also advised all coastal States to make such laws.

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