Mumbai 2 December 2022

Golden belt staring at a fish drought

Fishermen's organizations request the government to lend a helping hand

Prakash Limaye : Sakaal News Service

Bhayandar, 1st : Maharashtra has a wide coastline of 720 km. A large amount of fishing is done in coastal areas. Known as the golden belt for fishing, the coast is rich in the fish favored by foodies. Fish is also exported. But in the last few years an evil eye has been cast on the fishing.

Local fishermen are facing a fish shortage. Organizations have started making demands that the government should help the fishermen in the same way as the government helps the drought-affected farmers.

Factors such as climate change, environmental degradation, coastal pollution, etc., along with overfishing, are also contributing to fish drought. Ports like Satpati in Palghar district, Pachubandar in Vasai, Uttan in Thane district, Versova in Mumbai, Murud, Revdanda and Karanja in Raigad are considered major for fishing, worth a turnover of crores. But for a few years, a big decline in fish production has started affecting the business. There are two types of fishing, traditional and modern. Conventional fishing is considered safe. Trawling, purse seining and line fishing are the modern types of fishing. Fishermen's organizations say that this is the cause of the sea fish drought, which is becoming destructive.

Such fishing is dangerous:

1 In trawling and purse seine fishing, a large net is cast in a radius of about 5km in the sea. A giant net goes straight to the bottom of the ocean. Then it is pulled up with the help of a machine. In it, the bottom of the sea is completely scraped. Along with big fish, small fish, their fry and fish roe is dragged into the net.

2 LED fishing is a dangerous type of fishing. Those on boats in the darkness of the night. Bright light from LED lights is released into the sea. Fish are attracted to that light in large numbers and are then caught in the net.

3. Fishing is being done even with numerous knots tied to the rope. It catches good-quality fish swimming in the upper surface of the sea. Due to such destructive fishing, the fish production has decreased to a great extent. On the other hand, fishing has also started by putting tranquilising chemicals in the water. The environment of the sea is becoming dangerous.

Fishing using purse seine or LED lights is prohibited on all coasts. No one is permitted to use these techniques. Action has been taken against those who violate the rules from time to time. We will take definite action if there are any such complaints, said Dr. Atul Patne, Commissioner, Fisheries Department.

Number of Boats in the StateMechanical: 18,300Non-Mechanical: 8,000

What is the solution to fish shortage?

UNO policy on fisheries needs serious consideration. UNO has developed guidelines for small-scale fishers. Among those principles is a focus on limited fishing. It mentions the number of fishing boats, how many fish the fishermen should catch, etc. Therefore, measures such as strict adherence to guidelines and urgent control of destructive fishing by the government can overcome the fish drought, said Leo Colaco, President, National Fishworkers Forum President.