The first set of recommendations to amend the Kerala Marine Fisheries Regulations Act (KMFRA) to enforce sustainable fishing practices in the south Indian state of Kerala will be tabled for discussion at a meeting of stakeholders in the fisheries sector in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday .
With fishermen organizations in a confrontationist mode following severe shortage in marine catches over the last three years led by the downward slide of Indian oil sardine, the state will have to seriously address the dwindling numbers.
“One has to understand that the sector which was 85% non-mechanised in the eighties is now almost 98% mechanised aiding the plundering of marine resources. This shortage has had a bearing on the fishermen community ,” said Charles George, Kerala Matsyathozhilali Aikyavedi state president.
While the decision to enforce a ban on juvenile fishing has come into force, as a measure to check overexploitation, it has led to clashes in several harbours and landing centres. “There is no uniform ban across India. Fishermen from other states are coming and catching juveniles and landing it in other centres. There has been a ban on juveniles but no concrete guidelines on how we can avoid getting juveniles in our nets. We are being fined hugely ,” said Joseph Xavier Kalapurackal, general secretary , All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association (AKFBOA).
The state government officials said that several recommendations have been suggested and notifications will be issued after discussions with the stakeholders.
“There will not be many amendments to KMFRA. The appropriate suggestions and recommendations will be released as government notifications,” said Lethy K M, additional director of Fisheries.
Fisheries minister had announced in the assembly that the state government plans to increase the list of juvenile fishing ban to include more species. The Kochi-headquartered Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute had framed a minimum legal size (MLS) for 58 species that are caught in nets here.
The Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) is providing the inputs for the various gear modifications to be introduced. “We have now given a detailed appropriate mesh size for the different types of gears that will address the problem of juveniles falling in the nets,” said Leela Edwin, senior scientist, CIFT.
“The earlier government notification did not specify how to prevent juveniles from being caught in the net. In case of pelagics, fishermen can see for themselves before releasing the nets, but in case of demersals, it is difficult. Hence we have suggested that legal action should be taken if more than 50% of the catch is below the MLS,” said Sunil Mohammed, senior scientist, CMFRI.
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