61-day fishing ban begins along east coast

Trichy: The annual 61-day fishing ban along the eastern coast came into force on Wednesday to support fish breeding in the Bay of Bengal and conserve marine resources.Mechanised boats from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will remain docked from April 15 to June 14. Trawlers, purse seiners and deep-sea vessels have been barred from venturing into the sea during this period. Boats that were at sea returned to harbours by Tuesday evening, following directives from the Tamil Nadu fisheries and fishermen welfare department. The previous fishing season saw tensions in the Palk Strait, with repeated arrests of Indian fishers, seizure of boats by Sri Lankan authorities, and attacks on fishermen. Traditional craft, including FRP motorised boats and non-motorised catamarans, are exempt from the ban as they are considered less harmful to marine ecosystems and can continue operations. During the ban period, many mechanised boat fishers take a break, while owners carry out maintenance work. Some fishers migrate to the western coast, including Kerala and Karnataka, to continue fishing, while others switch to smaller boats to sustain their livelihoods.