Deep Sea Trawl Boat Association strike called off after seventeen days
Udupi: Malpe Fishermen’s Deep Sea Trawl Boat Association who had stopped fishing and were protesting against the high voltage light centric fishing in the sea for the last seventeen days, have decided to call off their protest.
After the meeting chaired by Sathish Kunder president of Malpe Fishermen’s Association in the presence of Fisheries minister Pramod Madhwaraj at the association office Malpe on January 24, all the fishermen decided to get back to fishing from January 25.
Speaking to media persons Sathish Kunder president of Malpe Fishermen’s Association said that the meeting today was successful. A healthy discussion was held between Malpe Fishermen’s Deep Sea Trawl Boat Association and purse seine Boat association. Malpe Fishermen’s Deep Sea Trawl Boat Association and purse seine Boat association agreed to work with cooperation. One month time has been given to the Purse seine fishing boats to stop to use the LED lights and venture into deep waters for fishing for which they have agreed. All fishermen associations decided to stop all types of unscientific fishing in the sea. From January 25, fishing will start as usual in Malpe, he added.
The government had banned the use, installation or operation of surface or submerged artificial lights/LED lights, fish light attractors or any other light equipment with or without the generator on mechanized fishing vessels or motorized fishing craft for trawling, purse seining or gill netting operations in the Indian EEZ beyond territorial waters. The Centre has urged the States/Union Territories and the Coast Guard to take steps to stop the use of LED light fishing within and beyond their territorial waters. The state government should implement the order effectively he demanded.