Trawler owners move SC

Trawler owners from five states will file an affidavit in the Supreme Court, seeking a reduction on the duration of a ban on fishing during the monsoon by 15 days.

"Fishermen owning trawlers in Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Goa, will file an affidavit in response to the Supreme Court's interim order to observe uniform fishing ban by mechanised boats and trawlers from June 10 to August 15, every year", Victor Gonsalves, chairman, Mandovi Fishermen Cooperative Society, said.

They would ask that the ban be lifted from August 1 or on 'Narli Poornima', a traditional festival along the western coast. The affidavit will also question the logic behind the enforcement of the ban only on the western coast sparing the eastern coast, he said.

"There is no justification for the ban except that it is the breeding period for several species of fish... Different fish breed during different seasons, so why the ban only during monsoon " Gonsalves argued.

He said the traditional fishermen, equipped with mechanised canoes (small boats) were allowed to fish during the ban.

It's not as thought species caught by traditional fishermen don't breed he said..

Goa has 1,350 trawlers registered with the fisheries department, of which 800 are operational.