Bengaluru: In protest against the Union government move to impose a 61-day annual ban on marine fishing, members of the fishing community under the banner of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)-affiliated Kerala State Matsya Thozhilali Federation will organize Sagara Sangamams (gatherings) at sea, off three fishing harbours in the State.

Federation State president V.V. Saseendran told mediapersons here on Wednesday that the gatherings would be at the Beypore, Neendakara, and Munambam ports.

 Protestors would gather, with their fishing vessels, at the harbour mouth at 4 p.m. The gathering at Beypore will be on May 15, Neendakara on May 16, and Munambam on May 17.

 On the other hand traditional fishermen with conventional boats welcomed the Union government’s move to introduce a uniform 61-day ban on fishing by mechanised boats along the west coast, saying it would not only help breeding during the monsoon and help them avail a better catch.

 At present, the ban lasts for 45 days beginning June 15 every year along the coast of Karnataka for all mechanised boats.

The Trawl Boat Fishermen Association has acknowledged the move and recalled, about 15 years ago, fishing by mechanised boats was banned for three months during the monsoon. But over the years it decreased to 45 days.

 They said, “We welcome the government’s move to have a uniform ban of 61 days in all states on the west coast. Though only fishing by traditional boats is allowed during the ban, fishermen from Kerala venture into the sea on big boats and nets similar to purse seine boats. They claim that they are traditional fishing boats as they resemble such boats, but in reality they net all the fish which otherwise purse seine boats get. The government should ban this type of fishing, also.”