The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPADA) has advised the State Government to take measures to conserve marine fish resources as they are fast-dwindling due to uncontrolled fishing in the Bay of Bengal.
MPEDA Chairman A Jayathilak has written to the Government in this regard, according to sources.The presence of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea has enriched India with huge marine fish resources, but exploitation level is high and resources are declining very fast, he pointed out.According to MPEDA data, India has potential of 45.30 lakh tonnes of fishery resources.
But the way the resources are being exploited clearly indicates that it is declining at an alarming rate and some of the resources have reduced drastically beyond expectation.
He has said that though the climatic fluctuations are said to be one of the major reasons for decline in fish resources, the uncontrolled fishing pressure due to the introduction of large number of fishing vessels with high engine capacity has also contributed to the fast-decline.
looking at the risk, Kerala has introduced minimum legal size (MlS) fishing vessels, based on recommendations of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), to catch fish.
Introduction of strict mesh size (gap between net strands) regulations for fishing nets used in fishing vessels is also included.
Based on the findings, implementation of square mesh cod ends in fishing trawler is one of the predominant fishing methods in the State.
Many of the trawl net vessels now resort to square mesh cod ends due to advantage of saving diesel, reducing fishing time and also allowing juvenile fishes to escape from the net.
In 2016, the Maharashtra Government had distributed 375 cod ends to trawlers in a district as a pilot project for conservation of fish.
The Gujarat Government is also following the move for conservation of fish.
Under this backdrop, the MPEDA has advised the Odisha Government to promote use of square mesh cod ends in trawlers so that conservation of fishery resources and sustainable fishing can be ensured.
Fisheries and ARD Department would take a call in this regard, said a senior official in MPEDA.