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Kerala Government has issued a notification imposing a 52-day trawling ban along the state's coastal waters. The ban will be in effect from midnight June 9 to midnight July 31, 2025, as part of marine conservation and fishery resource management measures.
The decision was made during today's cabinet meeting. Mechanised fishing is prohibited during this period; however, traditional fishing, using inboard boats, will be allowed. The authorities also decided that the Coastal Police and district Collectors must make sure all out-of-state boats depart Kerala's coast before the trawling ban begins. According to the Fisheries Department, inboard boats must be equipped with all necessary safety gear. To safeguard fish populations and avoid overfishing during their critical breeding season, the ban is implemented. The ban on trawling seeks to conserve marine ecosystems and fish stocks by stopping bottom trawling, a harmful method that harms the ocean floor and captures young fish. The ban aligns with the breeding season of several economically valuable fish species. While the ban is in effect, trawlers must stay at least 12 nautical miles (or more) offshore. Those who break the rules will be penalized by the Fisheries Department and other agencies. The state government offers aid like rations and subsidies to trawler workers to lessen the ban's financial burden on them. (ANI)
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