Marine enforcement team has stepped up patrols in Kozhikode to prevent juvenile fishing

A boat was recently seized by the Marine Enforcement Team during an operation against illegal fishing activities off the Kozhikode coast. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements

The Marine Enforcement Team has increased day and night patrolling following the directives of the District Collector and the Fisheries Department to arrest fishing boats used to catch juvenile fish against the Minimum Legal Size (MLS) rule. A 10-member team will use a chartered fishing boat and the Karunya Marine Ambulance to nab the suspects.

“During the check, two boats with nearly 4,000 kilos of dirty fish were seized. Use of restricted fishing nets and fishing activities beyond the permitted time will also be strictly enforced,” said a police officer from the enforcement team. He said the special operation was launched last week with the help of newly recruited patrol team members.

Fisheries department sources said that the district’s fishing port will also be monitored to stop this practice.

They said private agents in the region are encouraging waste fish collection to meet demand from fertilizer factories outside the state. It was also suggested that both natives and migrants are involved in fishing networks for additional income.

Last year, inspection teams reportedly intercepted nine boats carrying juvenile fish. Heavy fines were imposed on boat owners to further compound the crime. Beypore and Puthiappa ports were frequent sites of the activity, which was allegedly busted with the support of some local country boat operators.

A recent study by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute showed that the implementation of MLS regulations and the ban on juvenile fishing led to a 41% increase in production of threadfin bream in Kerala, indicating positive results. The study recommended stricter enforcement of mesh size regulations for fishing nets to achieve further progress in this area.

Fisheries department officials said the government has already submitted MLS for capture of around 60 fish species, which will have to be strictly followed to prevent rapid depletion of fisheries resources in the region.

Violators will be fined heavily, up to ₹ 2.5 lakh if ​​the percentage of juvenile fish exceeds 40%, they added.