Udupi; Oct 22: Traditional fishermen by alleging the present destructive method of fish catching said that the traditional purse seine country made boat, Kairampani, Kanthubale were all in use for the last several years, used to give enough earnings and food continuously for fishermen.
But in recent days by violating the government laws, orders fishing are being done day and night for 24 hours of the day by going nearest distance starting from 3 km to 70-80 km with the help of bull-trawl high speed fishing and thereby depriving of traditional fishermen’s daily livelihood.
They also alleged that due to this lethal method of fishing, traditional fishermen are being spending the days with great difficulties for the last 15-20 days. The reason for the disintegration of the fish, is the usage of single big net and the same is being done by joining 2 nets into single one big net and two boats for the last 5-6 years.
They also said that in this method of fishing, catch will be more and fishes of various categories like starting from sardines to big sized fishes are available. The fishermen who are engaged in this type of fishing will return to the shore once in a week time and considered a trade of destroying small fishes like sardines, mackerels and squids. The small sized fishes, which they got in this type of fishing will be thrown, dumped into the sea without storing after 3-4 days of the catch and thereby polluting the sea water, they alleged.
In Malpe bunder, whatever the fishes used to catch by purse seine country made boat and Kairampani are being looted now by Leyland boat and Thriseventi boat with the help of bull-trawl net in the sea shore region by fishing day and night, resulting the traditional fishermen to return empty handed and demanded an immediate ban for bull-trawl fishing.
Boats are not going into the sea for the last 5-6 days in the pretext of scarcity of fish in the sea. The situation is such that for the last week fishermen are spending their days by sitting idle at home without doing fishing trade.
Fishermen have already submitted their memorandum stating their feelings to DC, legislators, MPs including all the political representatives urging them to ban bull-trawl high speed fishing. But when the outcome of this plea will be??
