The Fisheries department’s Marine Enforcement squads have escalated their efforts to combat suspected attempts by mechanized fishing boats to catch juvenile fish in violation of Minimum Legal Size (MLS) regulations along the Kozhikode coast. Stringent measures, including intensified flash checks and harbor stock monitoring, are now in place to apprehend suspected violators.
The motive behind large-scale collection of juvenile fish appears to be driven by the demand from fertilizer factories. Reports suggest that both local and migrant fish workers engage in these illegal activities to supplement their income. Fertilizer companies located outside the state are allegedly procuring these stocks to meet their production needs.
Fisheries department officials have confirmed the impoundment of nine boats in Kozhikode as part of their concerted crackdown on all forms of illegal fishing activities. The Marine Enforcement squad boasts an adequate resource base, including patrol boats, to effectively monitor and curtail unlawful practices within the fishing industry.
In addition to hefty fines, boat registration suspension looms as a punitive measure against those engaged in illegal fishing. The department is actively seeking information from fishermen who support the strict enforcement of MLS rules and oppose the actions of fertilizer companies.
A leader from a fishermen association in Vellayil disclosed that numerous boat operators around Beypore and Puthiyappa harbors had previously collaborated in the commercial collection of inedible fish varieties for fertilizer companies. However, these operators have withdrawn from such activities as the Marine Enforcement squads have successfully impounded multiple boats. The operators had aligned with fertilizer companies due to declining revenue from daily fishing.
The Fisheries department has already compiled a list of approximately 60 fish varieties subject to MLS regulations, in line with recommendations from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute. Officials emphasize the critical importance of preventing the hunting of juvenile fish to preserve fisheries resources and safeguard spawning stocks.