Ahead of the 52-day monsoon trawling ban, which will begin on Saturday midnight, the district authorities have issued a directive to all other-state mechanised boats to leave Kerala coast before the commencement of the ban period. The duration of the ban has been extended to 52 days as a first step to raise it to 61 days on a par with other southern states. A meeting held at the district collectorate to review the steps taken to regulate the operations of fishing boats in Kerala coast has decided to shut down the diesel bunks operating in the fishing harbours and along the coastal belt during the period. Diesel will be provided to inboard fishing boats through the bunks operated by the Matsyafed and select diesel bunks. Mechanised boats will not be provided diesel for these bunks. The meeting also decided to impose restrictions on catching fish below the minimum legal size. Mechanised boats and traditional boats catching juvenile fish will be seized and a fine of Rs 2.5 lakh will be imposed on them, said Fisheries Deputy Director S Mahesh. The government will provide free ration to fishing boat workers and peeling shed workers. The fishermen should contact Matsya Bhavan to apply for free ration.Though inboard fishing boats are allowed to continue fishing operations, an inboard boat will be allowed to take only one carrier boat along with it. The registration details of the carrier boats should be submitted at the fisheries offices concerned. Traditional fishermen venturing into the sea during the trawling ban period should carry biometric identity card along with them. The Fisheries Department has deployed three patrolling boats and opened a control room at the Vypeen Fisheries Station to help fishermen in distress. The control room will function round-the-clock. The Coast Guard will deploy a ship and a helicopter for rescue operations and patrolling, said Mahesh. Fishermen should keep safety gadgets ready in the boats and follow the weather warning issued by the Fisheries Department. The representatives of Coast Guard, Marine Enforcement Wing, Police, Revenue Department Civil Supplies Department and Matsyafed and representatives of traditional fishermen and mechanised boat operators participated in the meeting. Deputy Collector M P Jose presided over the meeting. Central region Fisheries Joint Director Ramadevi also participated. Phone numbers: Fisheries control room: 9496007037, 9496007029 – Marine Enforcement: 9496007048.