Long line fishing move draws flak

The efforts by government agencies to promote long line fishing is facing protest from the fishing sector. The All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association has come out against such a move.

 Last week, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) in association with the Food and Agriculture organisation (FAO) of the United Nations had organised a three-day seminar on long line fishing which is found to be a better way to exploit resources in deep sea.

 The MPEDA had organised a series of similar workshops in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu as well.

 Considering the economic potential of the tuna resources, the MPEDA along with the FAO and INFOFISH, Malaysia, has launched a project aimed at improving the harvesting and handling of tuna to produce value added products.

 Boat Operator’s Association general secretary Joseph Xavier Kalappurrakkal said that the government should introduce certain curbs on long line fishing and gill netting used to catch fishes like tuna, catfish and shark.

 “The uncontrolled exploitation of resources of these species is a reason for growth in population of puffer fish which has become a threat for fishermen.

 The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has recommended the state government to introduce certain regulations on long line fishing,” Xavier said.

 According to the findings in a study conducted by the CMFRI scientists, landing of catfish has gone down to 0.

7 per cent of the baseline catch in Kerala and to 2.

86 in Karnataka during 2003-2005.

 Sharks too have had a similar fate.

 The catch has gone down from 33,913 in 1996 to 29,129 in 2009.

 Oceanic tuna is a resource that offers immense scope for development in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone with India having estimated resources of 2,78,000 tonnes of tuna.

 However, the Swathanthra Matsyathozhilali Centre leader Lal Koyiparambil rules out the arguments of boat owners.

 “It has not been scientifically proven that long lining is a reason for high population of puffer fish.

 Long lining is a modern method of fishing that may be promoted to exploit resources in the deep sea.

 The long line fishing is a sustainable method,” he said.